Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania

Globally, due to climate change, urbanization, and the intensification of interactions between humans and animals, tick populations have increased, and areas where these arthropod vectors can develop and transmit diseases have expanded. <i>Ixodidae</i> ticks infect a wide variety of spec...

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Main Authors: Ioan Cristian Dreghiciu, Mirela Imre, Diana Hoffman, Ion Oprescu, Vlad Iorgoni, Simona Giubega, Sorin Morariu, Marius Stelian Ilie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1092
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author Ioan Cristian Dreghiciu
Mirela Imre
Diana Hoffman
Ion Oprescu
Vlad Iorgoni
Simona Giubega
Sorin Morariu
Marius Stelian Ilie
author_facet Ioan Cristian Dreghiciu
Mirela Imre
Diana Hoffman
Ion Oprescu
Vlad Iorgoni
Simona Giubega
Sorin Morariu
Marius Stelian Ilie
author_sort Ioan Cristian Dreghiciu
collection DOAJ
description Globally, due to climate change, urbanization, and the intensification of interactions between humans and animals, tick populations have increased, and areas where these arthropod vectors can develop and transmit diseases have expanded. <i>Ixodidae</i> ticks infect a wide variety of species and serve as major vectors for zoonotic pathogens of veterinary importance. This study aimed to identify and map ticks collected from boar tails in six Romanian counties. A total of 141 ticks were identified and differentiated on the basis of their morphological characteristics via stereomicroscopy and electron microscopy. Among the 141 ticks examined, five species, <i>Ixodes ricinus</i>, <i>Haemaphysalis concinna</i>, <i>Haemaphysalis erinacei</i>, <i>Dermacentor reticulatus</i>, and <i>Dermacentor marginatus</i>, were identified. The identification and mapping of ticks present on wild boars is beneficial for both veterinary and human medicine due to the pathogens they can transmit. The results of our study indicate that parasitism with different tick species in wildlife—in this case, wild boar—is present in the Romanian counties under study. This is one of the most recent tick identification and mapping studies. Tick parasitism represents a threat to the health of wild/domestic animals, and frequent monitoring is necessary.
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spelling doaj-art-71ce4aa1cbb146dd9e9241a6a9a1573d2025-08-20T02:17:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-04-01158109210.3390/ani15081092Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from RomaniaIoan Cristian Dreghiciu0Mirela Imre1Diana Hoffman2Ion Oprescu3Vlad Iorgoni4Simona Giubega5Sorin Morariu6Marius Stelian Ilie7Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaDepartment of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, 119 Calea Aradului, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaGlobally, due to climate change, urbanization, and the intensification of interactions between humans and animals, tick populations have increased, and areas where these arthropod vectors can develop and transmit diseases have expanded. <i>Ixodidae</i> ticks infect a wide variety of species and serve as major vectors for zoonotic pathogens of veterinary importance. This study aimed to identify and map ticks collected from boar tails in six Romanian counties. A total of 141 ticks were identified and differentiated on the basis of their morphological characteristics via stereomicroscopy and electron microscopy. Among the 141 ticks examined, five species, <i>Ixodes ricinus</i>, <i>Haemaphysalis concinna</i>, <i>Haemaphysalis erinacei</i>, <i>Dermacentor reticulatus</i>, and <i>Dermacentor marginatus</i>, were identified. The identification and mapping of ticks present on wild boars is beneficial for both veterinary and human medicine due to the pathogens they can transmit. The results of our study indicate that parasitism with different tick species in wildlife—in this case, wild boar—is present in the Romanian counties under study. This is one of the most recent tick identification and mapping studies. Tick parasitism represents a threat to the health of wild/domestic animals, and frequent monitoring is necessary.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1092wild boarticksSEMstereomicroscopymorphology<i>Ixodidae</i>
spellingShingle Ioan Cristian Dreghiciu
Mirela Imre
Diana Hoffman
Ion Oprescu
Vlad Iorgoni
Simona Giubega
Sorin Morariu
Marius Stelian Ilie
Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania
Animals
wild boar
ticks
SEM
stereomicroscopy
morphology
<i>Ixodidae</i>
title Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania
title_full Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania
title_fullStr Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania
title_full_unstemmed Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania
title_short Identifying and Mapping Ticks on Wild Boars from Romania
title_sort identifying and mapping ticks on wild boars from romania
topic wild boar
ticks
SEM
stereomicroscopy
morphology
<i>Ixodidae</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1092
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