Prevalence of ixodid ticks collected on the territory of some entities of the Northwestern federal district in relation to Babesia spp.

An individual study of ixodic ticks collected in various subjects of the Northwestern Federal District of Russia was conducted for the presence of DNA of procysts of the genus Babesia in them. A total of 1628 ticks collected in 2022-2023 were studied. The ticks belonged to three species: Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus and Dermacentor reticulatus. The DNA of Babesia spp. it was detected by PCR. Fragments of babesia DNA were found in the body of three individuals of I. persulcatus (0,3 %) and 12 individuals of I. ricinus (1,8%), while all ticks of D. reticulatus showed a negative result. Babesia DNA was most often detected in ticks from the Pskov region (2,4 %), and the average infection rate of ticks was 0,9 %. The data obtained can contribute to the development of measures for the control and prevention of babesiosis.

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