期刊名称：Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
印刷版ISSN：1232-1966
电子版ISSN：1898-2263
出版年度：2018
卷号：25
期号：4
页码：1-4
DOI：10.26444/aaem/99054
出版社：Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
摘要：For the first time in the world literature, the presented study describes oral-anal contact between two sympatric Ixodes ricinus
and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks, which are the vectors of many pathogens in Europe. Among the specimens collected
in nature, an I. ricinus male was found with the hypostome and chelicerae inserted in the anal aperture of a D. reticulatus
female. Given the biological and physiological traits of both species and microorganisms colonising these arthropods,
it seems that the interspecific oral-anal contacts between ticks may be an unknown alternative route of transmission of
pathogenic and symbiotic microorganisms present in ticks’ alimentary tract, faeces, body surface, and in the haemolymph
and organs, taking place when the male’s mouthparts are inserted into the female’s body. The authors suggest that
interspecific contacts between ticks in natural conditions can contribute to the spread of some microorganisms among
different tick species and their hosts.
