The southern region of Poland, rich in natural and tourist attractions, encourages outdoor recreation and spending time in nature. Ongoing climate change, including global warming, has contributed to an increased abundance of ticks and an extended period of their seasonal activity. Consequently, the number of tick-borne disease cases continues to rise, and their diagnosis and treatment are often challenging and prolonged. The aim of this study is to summarize current knowledge on the occurrence of ticks in tourist areas of southern Poland and to raise public health awareness among individuals engaged in tourism and recreation, particularly regarding tick presence and the tick-borne diseases they transmit. To achieve the above goal, a review of available scientific and review articles on tick fauna and their role in the transmission of tick-borne disease pathogens in southern Poland was conducted. Electronic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar were used in the literature analysis. The presence of ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes vespertilionis), Amblyommidae (Dermacentor reticulatus), and Argasidae (Argas reflexus, Argas polonicus) has been confirmed. In ticks collected from vegetation and humans in southern Poland, the presence of the following pathogens has been confirmed: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Toxoplasma gondii, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Ehrlichia chaffeensis/Ehrlichia muris, Rickettsia spp., and Coxiella burnetii, as well as various coinfections. Knowledge of tick distribution and the pathogens they transmit plays a key role in assessing the risk of human and animal exposure to tick-borne diseases. Equally important is the dissemination of information on preventive strategies and protective measures against tick bites. The presence of ticks in recreational and tourist areas underscores the need for ongoing educational activities concerning ticks and tickborne diseases in southern Poland.

Throughout Europe, including Poland, Ixodes ricinus ticks are the main vector of numerous pathogenic agents that pose a serious threat to public health. Southern Poland attracts many tourists with its scenic landscapes and abundant recreational opportunities. These areas are ideal habitats for wild fauna, which serve as the main reservoirs and hosts for these pathogens and ticks. The large population and biodiversity of these hosts facilitate the proliferation of ticks. The aim of this study was to determine the potential exposure of humans to ticks and tick-borne pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia spp., along the nature-educational and tourist trails of the Poprad Landscape Park. From 2020 to 2021, ticks were collected using the flagging method on three tourist trails and nature-educational paths within the Poprad Landscape Park. DNA was isolated from 213 I. ricinus ticks using the ammonia method. To detect pathogens in ticks, PCR and nested PCR methods were used. To detect B. burgdorferi s.l. and A. phagocytophilum, two pairs of primers specific to the flaB gene fragment and 16S rRNA gene fragment were used, respectively. For Babesia spp. detection, primers specific to the 18S rRNA gene were used. The amplification products were separated electrophoretically and visualized under ultraviolet light. In total, among the 213 examined ticks, B. burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 31% of the samples. Neither A. phagocytophilum nor Babesia spp. were detected in the studied material. These results indicate a potentially high risk of ticks and tick-borne B. burgdorferi s.l. infections for residents and tourists in the recreational areas of the Poprad Landscape Park.

Introduction. Progressive climate change plays a major role in the expansion of tick populations, as well as the transmission of tick-borne disease pathogens (TBPs) to humans and animals throughout the world. Zoonoses are a growing environmental problem of great importance for public health. In Poland, domestic dogs and cats are mainly infested by Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes crenulatus, Ixodes hexagonus, Ixodes rugicollis and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks from the Ixodidae family. Other tick species, such as I. apronophorus and Haemaphysalis concinna, recorded sporadically on domestic dogs or cats, may expand their range in the future and successfully infest pets. Individual cases of infestations in Poland with foreign tick species, such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus, are known and may soon be recorded more frequently.Objective. The aim of this review is to summarize the occurrence and identification of tick species and TBDs that are present or are likely to spread in Poland, which, given the medical and veterinary importance of ticks, may help in the development of public health strategies.Review Methods. A comprehensive literature review of publications and own research and data analysis was performed, obtained from reports and scientific descriptions on the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases.Brief description of the state of knowledge. The ecology of ticks and hosts in urban and suburban environments is critical for quantifying the parameters necessary for an initial risk assessment, and identifying public health strategies to control and prevent TBDs. In the future, these species may expand their range of occurrence and their host, becoming common members of the Polish tick fauna. Summary. Anaplasma, Babesia, Borrelia and Rickettsia spp. are the major TBPs in Poland, and their prevalence is usually higher in dogs than cats.

The public health problem of tick-borne diseases has attracted much attention in recent years due to an increasing incidence in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to compare the risk of exposure to ticks and tick-borne infections in dogs and cats in recreational and urbanized areas in the Lesser Poland and Silesian Provinces. For molecular testing for the presence of the selected pathogens, 207 I . ricinus females collected from 119 dogs and 50 cats, and 2 I . hexagonus females collected from 2 domestic dogs, were examined. Overall, A . phagocytophilum was found in 3.7% of the I . ricinus specimens, B . microti in 27.1%, and B . burgdorferi s.l. in 0.9%. In urban areas of both provinces, A . phagocytophilum was found in 4.8% of the I . ricinus specimens, B . microti in 41.6% and B . burgdorferi s.l. in 3.9% . Pathogens were detected B . microti in both studied I . hexagonus specimens. These findings may indicate the important role that these animals play in the circulation of these pathogens in nature.

Infrastructure development in cities allows for the expansion of many animal species into urban areas. This includes parasitic arthropods of humans and animals, such as ticks (Acari: Ixodida). Ticks overcome the barriers presented by urbanization and successfully function in these environments. After mosquitoes, ticks are considered the most harmful external parasites to humans. Besides the direct pathogenic effect on their hosts, ticks are particularly dangerous vectors of bacterial, viral, and protozoal infections. Cracow is an increasingly popular tourist destination in Poland. The green spaces and many tourist attractions of this historical town are frequented by residents, local tourists and international travellers-favourable conditions under which ticks can encounter human hosts and spread. Ticks not only occur in green areas and on hiking trails rich in vegetation, but can also thrive in built-up areas on e.g. the exteriors of buildings or inside attics. Five out of the nineteen tick species that occur in Poland have been registered in Cracow: two species representing the Argasidae family: Argas polonicus and Argas reflexus, two species in the Ixodidae family: Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus and one species in the Amblyommidae family Dermacentor reticulatus. The aim of this study was to systematize the information available on the tick species that occur in Cracow and to show the diversity of the habitats and feeding environments available to these parasites. These findings can be used to educate urban residents and tourists, especially children and adolescents, about the areas where ticks occur and inform them of individual protection against tick bites. The aim of the study was to systematize the current state of knowledge of the mentioned tick species and to present the diversity of the habitat and feeding environment of these parasites in Cracow. It is also necessary to indicate to urban residents and tourists, especially children and adolescents, the areas where ticks are present as well as the principles of individual protection against tick attacks.

Urban, tourist and recreational environments are ideal places for the spread of ticks to new areas. The increasing presence of wild animals in urban environments can lead to increased exposure and risk of infestation by dangerous parasites in humans and pets. Increased pace of urbanization relates to human mobility, long-distance trade and interactions with nature between humans and companion animals, which could change epidemiological conditions in urban and peri-urban areas. In 2017–2018, 2,777 ticks were collected in selected areas of the Małopolska and Silesian provinces: 2,643 Ixodes ricinus (95.2%), 107 Ixodes hexagonus (3.9%), 23 Ixodes crenulatus (0.8%), 3 Dermacentor reticulatus (0.1%) and 1 Ixodes apronophorus (0.03%), from 1,209 dogs and 399 cats. Ixodes ricinus is of the greatest medical, veterinary and economic importance in the transmission of many pathogens of tick-borne diseases. The widespread travel of humans with their pets is likely to have a key impact on the existing epidemiology situation of many ectoparasites and may lead to a higher frequency of rare or new parasitic diseases.

The mountainous and foothill areas, in which the city of Zakopane, the capital of Tatra County, is located are characterized by continuous weather changes, lower air temperature, persistent snow cover, and poorer vegetation than in the lowlands. Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus are vectors of tick-borne diseases and play an important role in the persistence of tick-borne diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the risk of exposure of domestic cats and dogs to the attacks of Ixodid ticks, to tick-borne infections with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti and Toxoplasma gondii in the city of Zakopane and the surrounding area. In 2017–2018 ticks were collected from a total of 10 domestic cats and 88 domestic dogs. Selected pathogens of tick-borne diseases were detected by PCR and nested PCR. The study material contained 119 I. ricinus and 36 I. hexagonus. The molecular examinations showed the presence of A. phagocytophilum in 3.8%, B. microti in 24.5% and T. gondii in 4.5% of the all ticks. In addition, in the study area, there is a high potential risk of tick-borne infection by B. microti, and a low potential risk of exposure to A. phagocytophilum and T. gondii infection.

Kleszcze (Acari: Ixodida) należą do roztoczy, pasożytujących najczęściej na gadach, ptakach i ssakach. Ze względu na znaczenie epidemiologiczne, epizootiologiczne, jak również bezpośrednią szkodliwość wśród ludzi i zwierząt, zaliczają się do jednych z najgroźniejszych pasożytów zewnętrznych. Na całym świecie stwierdzono występowanie około 850 gatunków kleszczy, w Polsce, do tej pory stwierdzono 19 gatunków stale występujących w faunie naszego kraju. Bytują one w różnych siedliskach od terenów nizinnych aż po tereny górskie, zajmując takie miejsca jak: lasy, tereny zieleni, strychy budynków w tym mieszkalnych i gospodarskich, nory, jamy zwierząt, jaskinie. Coraz częstsze występowanie kleszczy w bliskim otoczeniu człowieka i zwierząt przydomowych oraz domowych stwarza idealne warunki do przenoszenia patogenów chorób odkleszczowych. Nie ma wątpliwości, że stale poszukiwane są wszelkie sposoby ochrony osobistej i działania środowiskowe, chroniące przed atakami kleszczy oraz przed konsekwencjami jakie mogą wystąpić po żerowaniu pasożyta. References: Aboelhadid, S.M., Kamel, A.A., Arafa, W.M., Shokier, K.A. (2013). Effect of Allium sativum and Allium cepa oils on different stages of Boophilus annulatus. Parasitology Research, 112(5), 1883–1890. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3344-0 Angelo, I.C., Tunholi-Alves, V.M., Tunholi, V.M., Perinotto, W.M., Gôlo, P.S., Camargo, M.G., Quinelato, S., Pinheiro, J., Bittencourt, V.R. (2015). Physiological changes in Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) experimentally infected with entomopathogenic fungi. Parasitology Research, 114(1), 219–225. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4181-5 Argas reflexus Fabricius: https://zeckenrollen.de/zecken/zeckenarten-in-deutschland/ Bezuidenhout, J.D., Stutterheim, C.J. (1980). A critical evaluation of the role played by the red-billed oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus in the biological control of ticks. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 47(2), 51–75. Birkett, M.A., Hassanali, A., Hoglund, S., Pettersson, J., Pickett, J.A. (2011). Repellent activity of catmint, Nepeta cataria, and iridoid nepetalactone isomers against Afro-tropical mosquitoes, ixodid ticks and red poultry mites. Phytochemistry, 72(1), 109-14. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2010.09.016 Castellanos, A.A., Medeiros, M.C., Hamer, G.L., Morrow, M.E., Eubanks, M.D., Teel, P.D., Hamer, S.A., Light, J.E. (2016). Decreased small mammal and on-host tick abundance in association with invasive red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta). Biology Letters, 12(9), 20160463. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0463 Collatz, J., Selzer, P., Fuhrmann, A., Oehme, R.M., Mackenstedt, U., Kahl, O., Steidle, J.L.M. (2010). A hidden beneficial: biology of the tick-wasp Ixodiphagus hookeri in Germany. Journal of Applied Entomology, 135(5), 351–358. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0418.2010.01560.x Duffy, D.C., Downer, R., Brinkley, C. (1992). The effectiveness of Helmeted Guineafowl in the control of the deer tick, the vector of Lyme disease. The Wilson Bulletin, 104, 342–345. Ghosh, S., Sharma, A.K., Kumar, S., Tiwari, S.S., Rastogi, S., Srivastava, S., Singh, M., Kumar, R., Paul, S., Ray, D.D., Rawat, A.K. (2011). In vitro and in vivo efficacy of Acorus calamus extract against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Parasitology Research, 108(2), 361–370. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2070-0 Gliniewicz, A., Borecka, A., Przygodzka, M., Mikulak, E. (2019). Susceptibility of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks to repelents containing different active ingrediens. Przegląd epidemiologiczny, 73(1), 117–125. DOI: 10.32394/pe.73.13 Godara, R., Parveen, S., Katoch, R., Yadav, A., Katoch, M., Khajuria, J.K., Kaur, D., Ganai, A., Verma, P.K., Khajuria, V., Singh, N.K. (2015). Acaricidal activity of ethanolic extract of Artemisia absinthium against Hyalomma anatolicum ticks. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 65(1), 141–148. DOI: 10.1007/s10493-014-9843-6 Ixodes ricinus L. female: https://www.gmx.net/magazine/wissen/natur-umwelt/zecken-nutzen-33586218 Ixodiphagus hookeri Howard: http://www.zeckenhilfe.com/en/all-about-ticks/article/what-are-the-natural-enemies-of-ticks-; Ixodiphagus hookeri attacking a fed female tick: https://alchetron.com/Ixodiphagus-hookeri Martinez-Velazquez, M., Rosario-Cruz, R., Castillo-Herrera, G., Flores-Fernandez, J.M., Alvarez, A.H., Lugo-Cervantes, E. (2011). Acaricidal effect of essential oils from Lippia graveolens (Lamiales: Verbenaceae), Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), and Allium sativum (Liliales: Liliaceae) against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology, 48(4), 822–827. DOI: 10.1603/me10140 Pålsson, K., Jaenson, T.G., Baeckström, P., Borg-Karlson, A.K. (2008). Tick repellent substances in the essential oil of Tanacetum vulgare. Journal of Medical Entomology, 45(1), 88–93. DOI: 10.1603/0022-2585(2008)45[88:TRSITE]2.0.CO;2 Pirali-Kheirabadi, K., Teixeira da Silva, J.A. (2010). Lavandula angustifolia essential oil as a novel and promising natural candidate for tick (Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus) control. Experimental Parasitology, 126(2), 184–186. DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.04.012 Przygodzka, M., Mikulak, E., Chmielewski, T., Gliniewicz, A. (2019). Repellents as a major element in the context of prevention of tick-borne diseases. Przegląd epidemiologiczny, 73(2), 269–280. DOI: 10.32394/pe.73.25 Samish, M., Alekseev, E. (2001). Arthropods as Predators of Ticks (Ixodoidea). Journal of Medical Entomology, 38(1), 1–11. Samish, M., Alekseev, E., Glazer, I. (2000). Biocontrol of ticks by entomopathogenic nematodes. Research update. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 916, 589–594. DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2000.tb05341.x Shaw, M.T., Keesing, F., McGrail, R., Ostfeld, R.S. (2003). Factors influencing the distribution of larval blacklegged ticks on rodent hosts. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 68, 447–452. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2003.68.447 Siuda, K. (1991). Kleszcze Polski (Acari: Ixodida). Część I. Zagadnienia ogólne. Warszawa, Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. [In Polish] Tanacetum vulgare L.: http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/plants/magnoliophyta/magnoliophytina /magnoliopsida/asteraceae/tanacetum/vulgare-2.jpg

Zwierzęta towarzyszące ludziom, w tym zwierzęta domowe odgrywają ważną rolę w otaczającym nas środowisku. Jednak większość z nich może być narażona na kontakt z gatunkami pasożytniczych roztoczy i owadów, o dużym znaczeniu medycznym i weterynaryjnym, stanowiących zagrożenie dla zdrowia zarówno zwierząt, jak i ludzi. Do najbardziej rozpowszechnionych ektopasożytów skórnych zwierząt należą: Demodex canis, D. cati, D. criceti, D. aurati, D. caviae, Otodectes cynotis, Sarcoptes scabiei, Cheyletiella yasguri, C. blakei, Chirodiscoides caviae, Ctenocephalides canis, C. felis, Trichodectes canis, Linognathus setosus, Felicola subrostratus, Notoedres cati, Dubininia melopsittaci, Sideroferus lunula, Neopsittaconirmus gracilis, Gliricola porcelli, Trixacarus caviae, Ixodes ricinus, I. hexagonus, I. crenulatus, I. rugicollis i Dermacentor reticulatus. Różne gatunki pasożytów zewnętrznych, które mogą być również przenoszone na ludzi są odpowiedzialne za najczęstsze choroby pasożytnicze skóry zwierząt: sarkoptozę, otodektozę, ktenocefalidozę, wszawicę, wszołowicę, demodekozę i chejletielozę. Ponadto kleszcze z rodziny Ixodidae odgrywają znaczącą rolę w przenoszeniu chorób, do najważniejszych z nich należą: borelioza z Lyme, babeszjoza, riketsjoza, erlichioza, tularemia. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono najczęściej występujące ektopasożyty skórne u zwierząt domowych takich jak: pies domowy (Canis familiaris), kot domowy (Felis catus), papużka falista (Melopsittacus undulatus), kawia domowa (Cavia porcellus ), chomik syryjski (Mesocricetus auratus), mysz domowa (Mus musculus).

Ixodes ricinus (castor bean tick) is a ruthless parasite with the greatest medical and veterinary significance out of all the ticks found in the Polish fauna. The research on the incidence and spread of this species was conducted in six selected research areas in the urban area of Bielsko-Biała and in the rural areas of Ujsoły and Złatna. Another variable covered by the research was the seasonal activity of I. ricinus in three selected research areas in Ujsoły. The researched locations include recreational areas near rivers, forests, and hiking trails. They are frequented by tourists and cyclists. In studies faunal a total of 60 tick specimens belonged to the I. ricinus and were collected with the flagging method. The ticks were stored in test tubes filled with 96% ethanol. The analysis focused on the parasite’s taxonomic position and developmental stages. During the observation of the seasonal tick activity, the parasites were placed in dry tubes. Once their taxonomic position and developmental stages were diagnosed, they were released into the wild (a total of 875 ticks were collected belonged to the I. ricinus). The observations and studies indicate the widespread and increasingly high incidence of this dangerous parasite, which means there is a high risk of tick-borne diseases in both urban and mountain areas of the Żywiec and Silesian Beskids.