Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research
Published on: August 31, 2013
Ticks and tick-borne diseases from Mallorca Island, Spain
Lidia Chitimia-Dobler1,2, Michael Bröker3, Silke Wölfel4
1Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany.
Abstract:
Ixodid ticks are obligate blood-feeding arthropods and important vectors of pathogens. In Mallorca, almost no data on the tick fauna are available. Herein, we investigated ticks and tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from dogs, a cat and humans in Mallorca as result of a citizen science project. A total of 91 ticks were received from German tourists and residents in Mallorca. Ticks were collected from March to October 2023 from dogs, cat and humans, morphologically and genetically identified and tested for pathogens by PCRs. Six tick species could be identified: Ixodes ricinus (n = 2), Ixodes ventalloi (n = 1), Hyalomma lusitanicum (n = 7), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 1), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (n = 71) and Rhipicephalus pusillus (n = 9). Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. adults were collected from dogs and four females from a cat and the 16S rDNA sequences identified it as Rh. sanguineus s.s. Hyalomma lusitanicum was collected from 1 human, 1 dog and 5 specimens were collected from the ground in the community of Santanyi, together with one H. marginatum male. This is the first report of Hyalomma marginatum in Mallorca. Both I. ricinus were collected from humans and I. ventalloi female was collected from a dog. All ticks tested negative for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella spp., Francisella spp., and piroplasms. In 32/71 (45%) specimens of Rh. sanguineus s.s., Rickettsia spp. could be detected and in 18/32 (56.2%) sequenced tick DNAs R. massiliae was identified. Ixodes ventalloi female and both I. ricinus tested positive in the screening PCR, but the sequencing for the identification of the Rickettsia sp. failed.
Insights
This study identified six tick species in Mallorca, with Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.s. being the most common and carrying Rickettsia massiliae. No other tick-borne pathogens were detected in the investigated tick populations.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Entomology
- Medical Entomology
- Parasitology
Background:
- Ixodid ticks are significant vectors of pathogens globally.
- Limited data exists on tick fauna and associated pathogens in Mallorca.
- Citizen science initiatives can aid in understanding tick distribution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate tick species and tick-borne pathogens in Mallorca.
- To identify ticks collected from domestic animals and humans.
- To establish a baseline for tick surveillance in the region.
Main Methods:
- Morphological and genetic identification of collected ticks.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays for pathogen detection.
- DNA sequencing for precise identification of tick species and pathogens.
Main Results:
- Six tick species identified: Ixodes ricinus, I. ventalloi, Hyalomma lusitanicum, H. marginatum, Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., and R. pusillus.
- Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.s. was the predominant species (71/91 ticks), with Rickettsia massiliae detected in 45% of specimens.
- Hyalomma marginatum was reported for the first time in Mallorca.
- All tested ticks were negative for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella spp., Francisella spp., and piroplasms.
Conclusions:
- Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.s. is a common tick species in Mallorca, capable of harboring Rickettsia massiliae.
- The presence of Hyalomma marginatum highlights the need for ongoing tick surveillance.
- Further research is needed to identify Rickettsia species in Ixodes ventalloi and Ixodes ricinus.
