Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39648669›Full record

ArticleZoonoses and public health2025

Zoonotic Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Complex (Acari: Ixodidae) From Urban and Peri-Urban Areas of Kosovo.

Ina Hoxha, Betim Xhekaj, Genc Halimi, Michiel Wijnveld, Margarida Ruivo, Driton Çaushi, Albana Matoshi, Adelheid G Obwaller, Bernhard Jäger, Martin Weiler and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Zoonoses and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  6. Research progress on diagnostic techniques for differentFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Ina HoxhaInstitute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Betim XhekajFaculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.ORCID 0000-0003-2757-0591
Genc HalimiFaculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Michiel WijnveldInstitute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Margarida RuivoInstitute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Driton ÇaushiFaculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Albana MatoshiFaculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Adelheid G ObwallerDivision of Science, Research and Development, Federal Ministry of Defence, Vienna, Austria.
Bernhard JägerCBRN Defence Centre, Austrian Armed Forces, Korneuburg, Austria.
Martin WeilerCBRN Defence Centre, Austrian Armed Forces, Korneuburg, Austria.
Julia WalochnikInstitute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-0356-2853
Kurtesh SherifiFaculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina", Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Edwin KnihaInstitute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-6875-7056

Funding

Austrian Science FundÖsterreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIxodes ricinus, the castor bean tick, is the most prevalent tick species in Europe. It favours habitats such as shrubs, deciduous and mixed forests, but can also be found in urban environments. Due to its high vector competence, it is of enormous veterinary as well as medical importance, transmitting tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, Borrelia burgdorferi s. l., the causative agent of lyme borreliosis, Rickettsia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum amongst many other pathogens. In Kosovo, I. ricinus is the predominant species and a few studies, mostly based on human and animal seroprevalences, indicate the circulation of tick-borne pathogens. However, data on pathogens in I. ricinus are scarce in Kosovo, particularly in urban settings. This study aimed to provide first insights into the circulation of tic-kborne pathogens in I. ricinus from urban and peri-urban areas in Kosovo.

methodsUrban and peri-urban areas were sampled by flagging 150 m transects. In total, 197 ticks were morphologicaly identified as I. ricinus, and consequently DNA and RNA were isolated. All individuals were screened for the presence of tick-borne pathogens by using reverse line blotting (RLB) hybridisation.

resultsDNA of nine different pathogens from four genera including Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma spp. and Babesia spp. was detected in 60 (33.5%) specimens. The most frequently detected pathogens were Rickettsia spp. (16.2%), followed by Borrelia spp. (11.7%). Altogether, 54 single infections, 11 double infections and 1 triple infection were observed.

conclusionsWe provide first data on genotyping of B. burgdorferi sensu lato as well as the detection of Anaplasma, Babesia and Rickettsia from I. ricinus in this country. The data underline that particularly recreational (peri-)urban areas could facilitate the spillover of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens to humans in Kosovo and provide baseline data for future surveys.

Indexed as

IxodesTick-Borne DiseasesZoonosesAnimalsCitiesHumansKosovoRickettsiaAnaplasmaBabesiaBorreliapublic healthreverse line blottingRickettsia

Identifiers

PMID39648669
PMCPMC11772905

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.