Zoonotic Pathogens in Ticks from Migratory Birds, Italy
Elena Battisti, Katharina Urach, Adnan Hodžić, Leonida Fusani, Peter Hufnagl, Gerit Felsberger, Ezio Ferroglio, Georg Gerhard Duscher
Abstract
M igratory birds can be biological and mechanical carriers of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. They also can transport infected ectoparasites, such as ticks, across continents, enabling the spread of these vectors and their pathogens into new ecologic niches. Several studies have reported the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in Ixodes ricinus and Hyalomma marginatum ticks collected from birds that migrate annually from Africa to Europe (1,2). The role of migratory birds as carriers of vectorborne pathogens in Italy is poorly understood. To assess the risk for introduction of zoonotic microbial agents in Europe by migratory birds, we investigated microorganisms in ticks collected from migratory birds in Italy.