Tick-Borne Bacteria and Protozoa in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected from Fallow Deer (Dama dama) in a Central Italian...

In order to assess the spreading of tick-borne bacteria and protozoa in a protected area largely frequented by people and in which numerous domestic and wild animals live, molecular analyses were carried out in ticks collected from fallow deer (Dama dama) to detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia sp., Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, Hepatozoon sp., and piroplasms. A total of 148 tick pools, for a total of 475 ticks collected from fallow deer and identified as female adult Ixodes ricinus, were submitted to DNA extraction and different PCR assays. One hundred and two (68.92%) pools were positive for one or more pathogens: three (2.02%) for C. burnetii, 21 (14.19%) for Borrelia sp., 35 (23.64%) for piroplasms, and 87 (58.78%) for A. phagocytophilum. All tick pools were negative for F. tularensis and Hepatozoon sp. Sixty-seven (45.27%) pools were positive for only one investigated pathogen, whereas in 35 (23.64%) pools DNA of two or more pathogens were found. Sequencing analyses identified 28 piroplasm amplicons as Theileria sp. OT3 and seven amplicons as possible Theileria cervi. Sequencing of the 21 Borrelia amplicons identified six samples as B. miyamotoi and eight as B. lusitaniae, whereas seven amplicons had 100% homology with a Borrelia sp. found in France and 99.37% with a B. theileri strain detected in Zambia. Monitoring tick-borne pathogens in ticks is pivotal to assess the spread of these microorganisms, the evolution of their epidemiology, and the risk of infections for animals and humans.