SRA

Arthropod-borne diseases remain a remarkable health-threat for humans and animals. To estimate the distribution of pathogenic agents and especially Bartonella spp. ticks, pets, wild animals and animal owners in Hesse, Germany were screened. We found a low prevalence of Bartonella spp. but several potentially pathogenic genera in ticks. Microbiome profiles of 76 ticks of 48 animals were obtained. Pathogenic members of the genera Borrelia spp., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella spp., Francisella spp., Anaplasma spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were detected. PCRs confirmed the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi, B. schoenbuchensis, Rickettsia helvetica, Francisella tularensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in some of the ticks. This study shows that a broad range of tick-borne pathogens are present in ticks and animals, especially wild animals, in Hesse, Germany. Ticks might serve as an excellent sentinel to detect and monitor circulating pathogens.