TICK-BORNE PATHOGENS IN URBAN GREEN SPACES IN CHISINAU’S CITY PARKS

Abstract

City parks of Chisinau, Moldova, were examined for the occurrence of host-seeking ticks and collected specimens were examined for presence of Borrelia spp. and Anaplasma phagoci tophilum pathogens. In the spring season 2021, the collected individuals were Dermacentor reti culatus (n =42), Demacentor marginatus (n =21) and Ixodes ricinus (n =146), Haemaphysalis punctata (n=2) . Totally, 5.2% of tested ticks were PCR-positive with A. phagocytophilum and 13.2% gave positive PCR results for B. burgdoorferi s.l.. We did not detect any mixed infections. These results indicate that city parks in Chisinau are habitat for ticks of high medical and veteri nary importance. Due to the risk of acquiring tick-borne pathogens, the urban environment such as parks and home gardens, should be monitored for the presence of ticks and their infection with human pathogens. Screening of these areas is an important preventive element of environmental epidemiology.