Range expansion of Ixodes ricinus to higher altitude, and co-infestation of small rodents with Dermacentor marginatus in the Northern Apennines, Italy

Martello, Elisa; Mannelli, Alessandro; Ragagli, C.; Ambrogi, Cecilia; Selmi, Marco; Ceballos, Leonardo A.; Tomassone, Laura

doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.07.021

Cited by 27 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…ricinus immatures also infest small rodents in our study area [31], but we observed that lizards are better hosts for nymphs and are significantly more infested, compared to mice. This finding confirms the results of a previous study in a close hilly area in Tuscany [1].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 48%

“…Rodents and lizards are reported as hosts for H. punctata immatures by Walker et al [58], but we found just two attached specimens on lizards and none on small rodents [30,31], although this tick species is widespread in the Northern Apennines [40]. We can thus hypothesise that they preferentially feed on birds, that are also reported as preferential hosts for H. punctata immatures [5], or other small mammals species in the study area.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

“…Infestation prevalence by I. ricinus larvae in lizards was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than the infestation prevalence of Apodemus spp. mice in the area (54.4%), while nymphs infestation was significantly higher (p < 0.001; 3.7% in mice) [31].…”

Section: Lizard Capture and Infestation By Ticksmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Prevalence of infestation by ticks, in young and adult lizards and between sexes, and between lizards and small rodents captured in the same area [31], was compared by Fisher exact test; a two-tailed significance level of α = 0.05 was adopted. Mean numbers of ticks per host and 95%CI as well as negative binomial dispersion parameters (k) were obtained by intercept-only generalized linear models (GLM) with PROCGENMOD in the SAS system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…raoultii is present [49], involving wild boars [50] and small rodents [31]. Moreover, B. burgdorferi s.l.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

et al. 2017

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During the investigations on ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBP) range expansion in the Northern Apennines, we captured 107 Podarcis muralis lizards. Sixtyeight animals were infested by immature Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis sulcata and H. punctata. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 3.7% of I. ricinus larvae and 8.0% of nymphs. Together with the species-specific B. lusitaniae, we identified B. garinii, B. afzelii and B. valaisiana. Rickettsia spp. (18.1% larvae, 12.0% nymphs), namely R. monacensis, R. helvetica and R. hoogstraalii, were also found in I. ricinus. R. hoogstraalii was detected in H. sulcata nymphs as well, while the two H. punctata did not harbour any bacteria. One out of 16 lizard tail tissues was positive to R. helvetica. Our results support the hypothesis that lizards are involved in the epidemiological cycles of TBP. The heterogeneity of B. burgdorferi genospecies mirrors previous findings in questing ticks in the area, and their finding in attached I. ricinus larvae suggests that lizards may contribute to the maintenance of different genospecies. The rickettsiae are new findings in the study area, and R. helvetica infection in a tail tissue indicates a systemic infection. R. hoogstraalii is reported for the first time in I. ricinus ticks. Lizards seem to favour the bacterial exchange among different tick species, with possible public health consequences.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 48%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 44%

Section: Lizard Capture and Infestation By Ticksmentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…raoultii is present [49], involving wild boars [50] and small rodents [31]. Moreover, B. burgdorferi s.l.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

et al. 2017

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Host in reserve: The role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) as a supplementary source of tick hosts in small mammal communities influenced by rodent population cycles

Pelsmaeker

Korslund

Steifetten

2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Rodents often act as important hosts for ticks and as pathogen reservoirs. At northern latitudes, rodents often undergo multi-annual population cycles, and the periodic absence of certain hosts may inhibit the survival and recruitment of ticks. We investigated the potential role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) to serve as a sup-How to cite this article: De Pelsmaeker, N., Korslund, L., & Steifetten, Ø. (2022). Host in reserve: The role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) as a supplementary source of tick hosts in small mammal communities influenced by rodent population cycles. Ecology and Evolution, 12, e8776.

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Presence of host-seeking Ixodes ricinus and their infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the Northern Apennines, Italy

Ragagli¹,

Mannelli

Ambrogi³

et al. 2016

Exp Appl Acarol

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Host-seeking ticks were collected in the Northern Apennines, Italy, by dragging at 35 sites, at altitudes ranging from 680 and 1670 m above sea level (asl), from April to November, in 2010 and 2011. Ixodes ricinus (4431 larvae, 597 nymphs and 12 adults) and Haemaphysalis punctata (11,209 larvae, 313 nymphs, and 25 adults) were the most abundant species, followed by Haemaphysalis sulcata (20 larvae, five nymphs, and 13 adults), Dermacentor marginatus (42 larvae and two adults) and Ixodes hexagonus (one nymph). Greatest numbers of ticks were collected at locations characterised by southern exposure and limestone substratum, at altitudes <1400 m asl; I. ricinus was most abundant in Turkey oak (Quercus cerris) wood, whereas H. punctata was mostly collected in hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia) wood and on exposed rocks. Ixodes ricinus was also found up to 1670 m asl, in high stand beech (Fagus sylvatica) wood. The overall prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) in 294 host-seeking I. ricinus nymphs was 8.5 %. Borrelia garinii was the most frequently identified genospecies (64.0 % of positive nymphs), followed by B. valaisiana, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, and B. lusitaniae. Based upon the comparison with the results of previous studies at the same location, these research findings suggest the recent invasion of the study area by the tick vector and the agents of Lyme borreliosis.

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Range expansion of Ixodes ricinus to higher altitude, and co-infestation of small rodents with Dermacentor marginatus in the Northern Apennines, Italy

Cited by 27 publications

References 33 publications

Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

Importance of Common Wall Lizards in the Transmission Dynamics of Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Northern Apennine Mountains, Italy

Host in reserve: The role of common shrews (Sorex araneus) as a supplementary source of tick hosts in small mammal communities influenced by rodent population cycles

Presence of host-seeking Ixodes ricinus and their infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the Northern Apennines, Italy

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