Hard ticks infesting dogs in Hungary and their infection with Babesia and Borrelia species

A survey was carried out in Hungary to investigate the occurrence of hard tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from dogs and Borrelia and Babesia spp. detected in them. In total, 1,424 ticks were removed from 477 dogs appearing for clinical consultation in veterinary practices and clinics countrywide. Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus were the most common species occurring in most of the studied areas. Females of these two species were selected for molecular analyses. One to twelve specimens were used in each sample for DNA extraction. Polymerase chain reactions were performed with BSL-F/BSL-R primers for detecting Borrelia spp. in L ricinus and with PIRO-A1/PIRO-B primers to amplify Babesia spp. DNA in D. reticulatus. Randomly selected PCR products were sequenced to identify the pathogens' species or subspecies. DNA of Borrelia spp. could be detected in six (5.6 %) from 108 L ricinus samples and 43 (29.9%) from 144 D. reticulatus samples were PCR-positive for Babesia spp. Sequencing revealed the highest similarity with Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii and Babesia canis canis, respectively. Babesia and Borrelia spp. were identified in ticks with molecular methods for the first time in Hungary, and a high prevalence of B. canis canis in D. reticulatus females collected from dogs was detected.