Speaker
Description
The ecological mechanisms underlying the spatial restriction of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) foci remain poorly understood. As Ixodes ricinus frequently carries multiple pathogens, interactions between Borrelia spp. and TBEV may contribute to focal virus persistence. Therefore, co-infection patterns and Borrelia species composition were investigated in relation to TBEV, in different hotspots in southern Germany. Between 2023 and 2025, 5,585 I. ricinus ticks from TBEV hotspots and adjacent TBEV-free sites in Stuttgart, Flappach, and Wangen in South Germany were screened using PCR methods. Overall, Borrelia spp. were detected in 23.4% of ticks, whereas TBEV prevalence in hotspots was low (0.4%; 15/3,535). Borrelia afzelii was the predominant species. Ticks collected from TBEV hotspots showed a significantly higher probability of Borrelia infection compared to TBEV-free sites (p = 0.034; n = 3,535). While the presence of B. afzelii significantly increased the probability of TBEV detection (p = 0.034),B. burgdorferi s.s. showed a positive but insignificant association (p = 0.095). Co-infections occurred in six of fifteen TBEV-positive ticks. Although these associations are consistent with shared reservoir hosts and overlapping transmission cycles, they provide valuable insights into the ecological structure of TBEV microfoci. Borrelia composition may represent an ecological indicator of environmental conditions supporting long-term TBEV persistence.
Keywords
Ixodes ricinus, Borrelia, TBE-Virus, Germany, Co-infections,
| Registration ID | 39 |
|---|---|
| Professional Status of the Speaker | Postdoc |
| Junior Scientist Status | Yes, I am a Junior Scientist. |
