Natural Transmission of Zoonotic Babesia spp. by Ixodes ricinus Ticks

Abstract

To determine characteristics of natural transmission of Babesia sp. EU1 and B. divergens by adult Ixodes ricinus ticks, we examined tick salivary gland contents. We found that I. ricinus is a competent vector for EU1 and that their sporozoites directly invade erythrocytes. We conclude that EU1 is naturally transmitted by I. ricinus.

Keywords

• Babesia divergens
• Babesia sp. EU1
• zoonotic disease
• tick
• Ixodes ricinus
• salivary glands