The molecular evidence of Babesia microti in hard ticks removed from dogs in Warsaw (central Poland)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to specify the occurrence and prevalence of Babesia microti in hard ticks removed from dogs in Warsaw (central Poland). Among 590 collected ticks, 209 were identified as Ixodes ricinus, and 381 as Dermacentor reticulatus. B. microti DNA was detected in 11 out of 590 (1.86%) samples of ticks. The DNA of the parasite was detected only in lysates from female I. ricinus ticks (11 out of 193; 5.7%). The result of this study is the first evidence of B. microti in I. ricinus ticks in Warsaw.