Three Babesia species in Ixodes ricinus ticks from migratory birds in Sweden.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Migratory birds can cross geographical and environmental barriers and are thereby able to facilitate transmission of tick-borne pathogens both as carriers of infected ticks and as reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms. Ixodes ricinus is one of the most abundant tick species in the Northern Hemisphere and a main vector of several Babesia species, some which pose a potential threat to human and animal health. At present only two cases of overt babesiosis in humans have so far been reported in Sweden. To better understand the potential role of birds as disseminators of zoonotic Babesia protozoan parasites, we investigated the presence of Babesia species in ticks removed from migratory birds.

Methods

Ticks were collected from birds captured at Ottenby Bird Observato

SUBMITTER: Wilhelmsson P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8017608 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature