A novel vesivirus (family Caliciviridae) in European badgers (Meles meles) in Hungary, 2020/2021.

In this study, a novel vesivirus (family Caliciviridae) was detected and characterized in faecal and tissue (blood and spleen) specimens collected from three (23.1%) out of 13 European badgers (Meles meles) in Hungary that were tested using RT-PCR and sequencing methods. The complete genome of the vesivirus strain European badger/B40/2021/HUN (OQ161773) is 8,375 nucleotides in length.

First report of molecular taxonomic analyses of European beaver metazoan parasites from Hungary.

European beaver (Castor fiber L. 1758) is the biggest rodent species living in Europe. Beavers are semi-aquatic animals; they are defecating directly into the water; thus, they have an important role in spreading parasites related to water (e.

Molecular epidemiological study on ticks and tick-borne protozoan parasites (Apicomplexa: Cytauxzoon and Hepatozoon spp.) from wild cats (Felis silvestris), Mustelidae and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in central Europe, Hungary.

Background: Among live wild mammals adapted to urban and peri-urban habitats in Europe, members of the families Felidae, Mustelidae and Sciuridae deserve special attention as pathogen reservoirs because all of these families include members that are kept as pets. We report here the results of our study on two important groups of tick-borne protozoan parasites in ticks and tissues of wild cats, mustelids and red squirrels.

Methods: DNA was extracted from the tissues of carnivores (wild cats, mustelids; n = 16) and red squirrels (n = 4), as well as from ixodid ticks (n = 89) collected from these hosts.

Diversity of tick species and associated pathogens on peri-urban wild boars - First report of the zoonotic Babesia cf. crassa from Hungary.

Wild boars show increasing numbers and population densities throughout Europe, including Hungary. While their presence is appreciated as game animals, they are also responsible for significant agricultural damage, habitat degradation and water quality issues. In addition, wild boars may harbor ticks and can act as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens, thus posing a risk of transmission towards humans and domestic animals.

emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in "fighting dogs" in Hungary.

is considered as an emerging protozoan parasite of dogs in North America and Europe. However, no data have been published on its prevalence, molecular-phylogenetic characteristics and associated co-infections in dogs used for illegal fighting (i.e.

Prevalence of relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia miyamotoi in Ixodes ricinus ticks from eastern Slovakia.

Borrelia miyamotoi, recurrent fever borrelia, pathogenic to humans, has been found recently in Ixodes ricinus ticks. There is still little information about its circulation in nature and potential local impact on human health as well as the occurrence in natural localities. In our study, a total of 1609 ticks (745 nymphs, 358 females and 506 males) collected from different localities in eastern Slovakia were analysed using a polymerase chain reaction targeting a gene encoding glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (glpQ), which is specific to the Borrelia species in the relapsing fever group.

Investigation on haplotypes of ixodid ticks and retrospective finding of Borrelia miyamotoi in bank vole (Myodes glareolus) in Switzerland.

The current status of tick species, important tick-borne bacteria and protozoan parasites is well-documented in Switzerland. However, reports on the genetic diversity and geographical relationships of tick species in this country appear to be in part lacking or outdated. Thus, the aim of this study was to collect ticks from various host species in southern Switzerland, to compare them in a geographical context and to screen in these samples rare tick-borne pathogens hitherto not reported or having low prevalence in Switzerland.

Rickettsiaceae in two reptile-associated tick species, Amblyomma exornatum and Africaniella transversale: First evidence of Occidentia massiliensis in hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae).

All species of hard ticks associated with reptiles as hosts throughout their life cycle, are currently assigned to genera including Amblyomma and Africaniella. Among these species, based on literature data, Africaniella transversale has never been investigated for the presence of tick-borne pathogens. In this study, seven DNA extracts (two from A.

Five ixodid tick species including two morphotypes of Rhipicephalus turanicus on nestlings of Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) from south-eastern Bulgaria.

Background: Birds are major hosts for many tick species (Acari: Ixodidae, Argasidae), and their role is especially important in transporting ticks over large distances along their seasonal migratory routes. Accordingly, most studies across Europe focus on the importance of avian hosts in tick dispersal, and less emphasis is laid on resident birds and their role in supporting tick life cycles. Eurasian eagle owls (Bubo bubo) exemplify the latter, but all the few studies on their tick infestation were carried out in Western Europe and even those did not involve a large sample size and did not assess infestation prevalence in natural habitats.

Genome characterization, prevalence and tissue distribution of astrovirus, hepevirus and norovirus among wild and laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (Mus musculus) in Hungary.

Rodents including rats are reservoir of several pathogens capable of affecting human health. In this study, faecal and different organ specimens from free-living Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) (N = 18) and faecal samples from laboratory rodents (rats N = 21 and mice N = 20) collected from different geographic areas in Hungary between 2017 and 2020 were investigated by viral metagenomics and conventional RT-PCR methods. The complete genome of three different RNA viruses, rat astrovirus, rat norovirus and rat hepevirus were characterized and analysed in detail.

Morphology of Pholeoixodes species associated with carnivores in the western Palearctic: Pictorial key based on molecularly identified Ixodes (Ph.) canisuga, I. (Ph.) hexagonus and I. (Ph.) kaiseri males, nymphs and larvae.

Three Palearctic members of the subgenus Pholeoixodes, i.e., Ixodes canisuga, Ixodes hexagonus and Ixodes kaiseri are frequently collected from dogs, cats, red foxes, badgers and other carnivorous/insectivorous hosts in Europe.

Urban emergence of Dermanyssus gallinae lineage L1 and Ornithonyssus sylviarum in Hungary: phylogenetic differentiation between the roles of migrating vs transported synanthropic birds.

Background: Among Dermanyssoidea, the chicken red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) and the northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) are considered to be the cause of high economic losses endured by the poultry industry in the Holarctic region, with O. sylviarum predominating in North America and D. gallinae in Europe.

Molecular phylogeny of Amblyomma exornatum and Amblyomma transversale, with reinstatement of the genus Africaniella (Acari: Ixodidae) for the latter.

The phylogeny of the hard tick genus Amblyomma Koch, 1844 deserves special attention, because several poorly studied tick species associated with reptiles still bear the name of this genus, although they may not belong to it. This study focuses on the phylogeny of two such species with uncertain taxonomic status, i.e.

Anaplasmataceae closely related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Neorickettsia helminthoeca from birds in Central Europe, Hungary.

Increasing amount of data attest that (in the context of vector-borne infections) birds are not only important as hosts of blood-sucking arthropod vectors, but also as reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens. From 2015 to 2019 cadavers of 100 birds (from 45 species, nine orders) were collected in Hungary, and their organs were screened for DNA from a broad range of vector-borne bacteria with PCR and sequencing. Molecular analyses revealed the presence of Anaplasmataceae, and sequencing identified bacteria closely related to Neorickettsia helminthoeca and Ehrlichia chaffeensis in a Eurasian teal (Anas crecca) and a song thrush (Turdus philomelos), respectively.

DNA of Theileria orientalis, T. equi and T. capreoli in stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans).

Background: From a veterinary-medical point of view, the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, is perhaps the economically most important blood-sucking muscoid fly species (Diptera: Muscidae), owing to its worldwide occurrence, frequently high local abundance, direct harm caused to livestock, pet animals and humans, as well as its vector role. Considering the latter in the context of protozoan parasites, the stable fly is a mechanical vector of trypanosomes and Besnoitia besnoiti. However, its role as a vector of piroplasms appears to be seldom studied, despite old data suggesting mechanical transmission of babesiae by dipteran flies.

First records and molecular-phylogenetic analyses of three tick species (Ixodes kaiseri, Hyalomma lusitanicum and Ornithodoros coniceps) from Malta.

The Maltese islands are situated south of mainland Europe and north of Africa, therefore are expected to share tick species and tick-borne pathogens with both continents. This situation highlights the importance of studying ticks in this country. Nevertheless, the tick fauna of Malta appears to be a seldom investigated issue, with hitherto only five tick species reported in the country.

Genetic diversity, piroplasms and trypanosomes in Rhipicephalus microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum collected from cattle in northern Pakistan.

The two most important tick species in Pakistan are Rhipicephalus microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum. When associated with cattle, these have one or three host life cycles, respectively, with potential implications for their population genetics and for their vector role in the transmission of pathogens. To compare the two tick species in this context with molecular-phylogenetic methods, during the present study 123 ticks were collected from cattle in northern Pakistan.

emerging in Hungary: is rice breast disease underreported in the region?

Reports of -like protozoa ('rice breast disease') from anseriform birds had been rare in Europe until the last two decades, when was identified in northern Europe and the UK. However, despite the economic losses resulting from infection, no recent accounts are available on its presence (which can be suspected) in most parts of central, western, southern and eastern Europe. Between 2014 and 2019, twelve mallards () were observed to have rice breast disease in Hungary, and the last one of these 12 cases allowed molecular identification of , as reported here.

Analysis of a novel RNA virus in a wild northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus).

Tombusviruses are generally considered plant viruses. A novel tombus-/carmotetravirus-like RNA virus was identified in a faecal sample and blood and muscle tissues from a wild northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus). The complete genome of the virus, called H14-hedgehog/2015/HUN (GenBank accession number MN044446), is 4,118 nucleotides in length with a readthrough stop codon of type/group 1 in ORF1 and lacks a poly(A) tract at the 3' end.

Diverse picornaviruses are prevalent among free-living and laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Hungary and can cause disseminated infections.

In this study, the full length genomes of three phylogenetically distant picornaviruses (family Picornaviridae) belonging to the genus Rosavirus (rat08/rRoB/HUN, MN116648), Kobuvirus (rat08/rAiA/HUN, MN116647), and Cardiovirus (rat08/rCaB/HUN, MN116646) were obtained from a single faecal sample of a free-living Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) in Hungary using viral metagenomics and RT-PCR/Sanger sequencing. The acquired complete genomes were in silico analyzed in detail revealing the presence of a second minor open reading frame encoding an alternative Leader peptide (L*) in rat08/rCaB/HUN and a ca. 222 nt-long sequence repeat with compact secondary RNA structure in the 3' UTR of rat08/rRoB/HUN.

Road-killed mammals provide insight into tick-borne bacterial pathogen communities within urban habitats.

Small- and medium-sized mammals play an important role in the life cycle of tick-borne pathogens in urban habitats. Our aim was to apply the general protocol, DAMA (documentation-assessment-monitoring-action), which is an integrated proposal to build a proactive capacity to understand, anticipate, and respond to the outcomes of accelerating environmental change. Here we tested whether road-killed carcasses in urban areas are useful sources of tissue and parasite samples to investigate these species' contribution to the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases.

Eco-epidemiology of Novel Bartonella Genotypes from Parasitic Flies of Insectivorous Bats.

Bats are important zoonotic reservoirs for many pathogens worldwide. Although their highly specialized ectoparasites, bat flies (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea), can transmit Bartonella bacteria including human pathogens, their eco-epidemiology is unexplored. Here, we analyzed the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella strains sampled from 10 bat fly species from 14 European bat species.

High mitochondrial sequence divergence in synanthropic flea species (Insecta: Siphonaptera) from Europe and the Mediterranean.

Background: Adult fleas are haematophagous ectoparasites of warm-blooded vertebrates, particularly mammals. Among them, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and the human flea (Pulex irritans) have high veterinary-medical significance, owing to their cosmopolitan distribution and role in the transmission of important vector-borne pathogens. While the taxonomy of Ct.

Assessing bat droppings and predatory bird pellets for vector-borne bacteria: molecular evidence of bat-associated Neorickettsia sp. in Europe.

In Europe, several species of bats, owls and kestrels exemplify highly urbanised, flying vertebrates, which may get close to humans or domestic animals. Bat droppings and bird pellets may have epidemiological, as well as diagnostic significance from the point of view of pathogens. In this work 221 bat faecal and 118 bird pellet samples were screened for a broad range of vector-borne bacteria using PCR-based methods.