Postindustrial Landscapes Are Neglected Localities That May Play an Important Role in the Urban Ecology of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases-A Pilot Study.

Background: Numerous recent studies have shown that ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a considerable threat in urban areas, such as parks, playgrounds, zoos, cemeteries, etc. Abandoned postindustrial localities, and other types of vague terrain, are other examples of urban wilderness areas that have been absolutely neglected in respect to ticks and tick-borne pathogens thus far, even though they provide ideal biotopes for ticks.

Methods: The abundance of ticks and prevalence of sensu lato spirochetes were compared between a city park and an adjacent abandoned construction waste disposal site in Prague, Czechia from June to October 2021.