Results of the distribution, biology, nutrition and epidemiological significance of ticks of the genus Dermacentor Koch. In Ukraine

Abstract

Summary. Dermacentor reticulatus and Dermacentor marginatus ticks species are the most common species in Europe and Ukraine. These species have somewhat similar habitats, but the first species is more often found more northerly, and the other more southerly in the forest-steppe zone of Eurasia. The aim of the study. To investigate the distribution, biology of nutrition and epidemiological status of ticks of the genus Dermacentor Koch. Materials and methods. Ticks were collected manually and using a "flag". Epidemiological status of ticks was detected by means of PCR using the amplifier "Rotor-Gene - 6000" in real time conditions. Results. D. reticulatus is widespread in Polissia, in Chernihiv and Sumy regions, in the northern regions of Ternopil, Kyiv, Vinnytsia and Khmelnytskyi regions. Regarding D. marginatus, it is indicated for 26 regions of Ukraine, from the foothills of the Eastern Carpathians and Polissia to the Crimean Mountains. It is most often found in the southern part of Polissia, in the Carpathian Mountains, in forest protective strips of steppes, in wet areas, in dry meadows, forest glades, in streams, wooded ravines, etc. Monitoring of D. reticulatus hosts showed that among domestic animals they are most commonly found on dogs, cats, cows and horses. The preimaginal stages of D. reticulatus in their nutrition are predominant on mouse-like rodents: the gray vole (Microtus arvalis) and gray hamsters (Cricetulus migratorius), while D. marginatus prefers gray hamsters. According to studies of the epidemiological status of ticks of the genus Dermacentor in Europe, it was found that D. reticulatus and D. marginatus can be effective vectors of Rickettsia raoultii and Rickettsia slovaca, both of which cause tick-borne lymphadenitis in humans. In Ukraine, it was established that pasture ticks are also carriers of borrelia (Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and B. afzelii), babesia: (Babesia canis, Babesia microti), ehrlichia (Ehrlichia phagocytophila genogroup) and even toxoplasma (Toxoplasma gondii). PCR studies showed that ticks of the species D. reticulatus were carriers of Borrelіa burgdorferі s.l., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesіa sp and tick-borne encephalitis virus. Conclusions: D. reticulatus is widespread in more northern and central biocenoses of Europe and Ukraine, and D. marginatus more often occupies more southern regions, often in arid biotopes; larvae and nymphs of ticks of this genus trophic mainly with the blood of various mouse-like rodents, and their imaginal stages nutrience on the blood of numerous wild and domesticated ungulates and carnivorous animals and humans; ticks of the genus Dermacentor are most often carriers of Borrelіa burgdorferі s.l., Borrelіa. аfzelii, Rickettsia raoultii, Rickettsia slovaca, Ehrlіchіa phagocytophіla, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia canis, Babesia mіcrotі

Keywords

• ixodes ticks
• dermacentor reticulatus
• dermacentor marginatus
• distribution
• epidemiological status
• borrelia
• rickettsia
• babesia