There Goes the Neighbourhood-A Multi-City Study Reveals Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens Commonly Occupy Urban Green Spaces.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Humans acquire tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) from infected ticks contacted during outdoor activities. Outdoor activity is at its highest in urban green spaces, where the presence of tick populations has increasingly been observed. Consequently, more insight into factors influencing the presence of ticks therein is needed. Here, we assess the occurrence of ticks and several TBPs in urban green spaces in Finland, estimate related human hazard and assess how landscape features influence tick and TBP occurrence therein.

Methods

Ticks collected from five cities during 2019-2020 were utilised. Borrelia, Rickettsia, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum , Babesia and TBEV were screened from ticks using qPCR. Various landscape features were calculated and uti

SUBMITTER: Sormunen JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11967321 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature