Publications by authors named "Zuzana Hamsikova"
Article Synopsis
- Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common tick-borne disease in Europe, with its incidence rising in recent years, particularly in urban and suburban areas of Slovakia.
- This study aimed to explore the prevalence and diversity of the Borrelia species in ticks collected from different habitats in Slovakia, including urban, natural, and agricultural environments.
- Findings revealed significant variability in tick infection rates, with the urban area showing the lowest prevalence, and the presence of multiple Borrelia species, including a first recorded case of one species in questing ticks in Slovakia and Europe.
Fleas (Siphonaptera) as obligate, blood-feeding ectoparasites are, together with ticks, hosted by small mammals and can transmit causative agents of serious infections. This study aimed to determine and characterize the presence and genetic diversity of , , and apicomplexan parasites (, ) in fleas feeding on small mammals from three different habitat types (suburban, natural, and rural) in Slovakia. The most common pathogen in the examined fleas was spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPresence of Roe Deer Affects the Occurrence of Ecotypes in Questing in Different Habitat Types of Central Europe.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
November 2019
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how European genetic variants of a specific pathogen circulate among wildlife, particularly focusing on red and roe deer as potential reservoirs and ticks as their primary vectors.
- It identifies five ecotypes, with Ecotype I having a wider host range, including strains harmful to humans and livestock, while Ecotype II is linked exclusively to roe deer and lacks zoonotic strains.
- Researchers collected ticks from various habitats in Central Europe, revealing that ecotype distribution is influenced by the presence of roe deer and the developmental stage of the ticks, with Ecotype I being more common in adult ticks.
Article Synopsis
- Free-living ungulates in southwestern Slovakia serve as hosts for various species of ixodid ticks and are reservoirs for multiple tick-borne microorganisms, with a significant focus on DNA analysis from tissue samples and engorged ticks.
- The predominant tick species identified was Ixodes ricinus, which infested 90.4% of the wildlife, while Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Theileria spp. were the major microorganisms detected, impacting mostly cervids and showing a high rate of mixed infections.
- Additional pathogens such as Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Borrelia burgdorferi were also found in the ticks, indicating a diverse range of tick-borne
Effect of Climate and Land Use on the Spatio-Temporal Variability of Tick-Borne Bacteria in Europe.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
April 2018
Article Synopsis
- Tick-borne diseases in Europe, caused by various pathogens, have been increasing, highlighting the need for better understanding of their spread.
- This study modeled nymph tick density and infection rates in five European countries, analyzing how land use and climatic factors affect tick populations.
- Findings reveal that while tick abundance is influenced by climate, the density of infected ticks varies based on the specific pathogen and land usage, emphasizing the importance of ecological studies on tick-host interactions.
Wild-living rodents are important hosts for zoonotic pathogens. Bartonella infections are widespread in rodents; however, in Slovakia, knowledge on the prevalence of these bacteria in small mammals is limited. We investigated the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella species in the spleens of 640 rodents of six species (Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus sylvaticus, Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis, Microtus subterraneus, and Micromys minutus) and in the European mole (Talpa europaea) from three different habitat types in south-western and central Slovakia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study investigates the presence of tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae and Coxiella burnetii in ticks and rodents in Slovakia to understand the ecology of these pathogens.
- It was found that various tick species, particularly Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor marginatus, had significant levels of rickettsial infection, with Rickettsia helvetica being the most prevalent.
- Rodents, especially the species Apodemus flavicollis, were identified as potential carriers of infected ticks, playing a possible role in maintaining these pathogens in their habitats.
Borrelia miyamotoi causes relapsing fever in humans. The occurrence of this spirochete has been reported in Ixodes ricinus and wildlife, but there are still gaps in the knowledge of its eco-epidemiology and public health impact. In the current study, questing I.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBy amplification and sequencing of 18S rRNA gene fragments, Hepatozoon spp. DNA was detected in 0.08 % (4/5057) and 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Babesiosis is an emerging and potentially zoonotic disease caused by tick-borne piroplasmids of the Babesia genus. New genetic variants of piroplasmids with unknown associations to vectors and hosts are recognized. Data on the occurrence of Babesia spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIxodes ricinus is a vector of microbial pathogens of medical and veterinary importance in Europe. Recently, increasing abundance of ticks has been observed in urban and suburban areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the tick species composition and examine correlations between local environmental variables and the relative density of host-seeking I.
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