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. 2021 Mar 5;14(1):136.
doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04603-x.

Ticks infesting humans and associated pathogens: a cross-sectional study in a 3-year period (2017-2019) in northwest Italy

Tania Audino #  1 , Alessandra Pautasso #  2 , Veronica Bellavia  1 , Valerio Carta  1 , Alessio Ferrari  1 , Federica Verna  3 , Carla Grattarola  1 , Barbara Iulini  1 , Maria Domenica Pintore  4 , Mauro Bardelli  4 , Germano Cassina  4 , Laura Tomassone  5 , Simone Peletto  1 , Valeria Blanda  6 , Alessandra Torina  6 , Maria Caramelli  1 , Cristina Casalone  1 , Rosanna Desiato  7
Affiliations

Ticks infesting humans and associated pathogens: a cross-sectional study in a 3-year period (2017-2019) in northwest Italy

Tania Audino et al. Parasit Vectors. .

Abstract

Background: Tick-borne diseases are common throughout Europe. Ticks transmit pathogens to the host while feeding and together with mosquitoes, they are major vectors of infectious agents worldwide. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the incidence of tick-bite events and tick-borne disease in northwest Italy, but information on the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in ticks removed from humans remains scarce. To fill this gap, we report here the prevalence of tick bites and tick-borne pathogens documented for humans in Piedmont, northwest Italy, in the 3-year period 2017-2019.

Methods: Ticks attached to humans during 2017-2019 were collected from residents of urban and rural area by physicians and veterinarians working with local veterinary agencies. All ticks (n = 1290) were morphologically identified to the species level. A subset of ticks removed from children (age 0-18 years) and the elderly (> 70 years), both age groups considered to be at-risk populations, was screened by biomolecular analysis to detect pathogens (e.g. Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp.). Pathogen identity was confirmed by Sanger sequencing.

Results: Ticks were taxonomically assigned to ten species of six genera (Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus). Most belonged to the genus Ixodes: 1009 ticks (78.22%) were classified as Ixodes ricinus. A subset of 500 ticks collected from the two at-risk populations were subjected to PCR assay to determine the presence of Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Anaplasma spp. The overall prevalence of infection was 22.8% (n = 114; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.19-26.73%), meaning that at least one pathogen was detected: Rickettsia spp. (prevalence 15%, n = 76; 95% CI 12.17-18.65%); Borrelia spp. (prevalence 6.4%, n = 32; 95% CI 4.42-8.92%); and Anaplasma spp. (prevalence 1.2%, n = 6; 95% CI 0.44-2.6%).

Conclusions: Our data underline the importance of surveillance in the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases and the implementation of strategies to control tick infestation and associated pathogens.

Keywords: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Borrelia spp.; PCR; Rickettsia spp.; Tick-borne diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number of ticks collected by month during 2017–2019
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Map showing the geographic distribution (%) of ticks collected in northwest Italy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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