Krzysztof Solarz

Allergenic mites associated with bird nests in Poland (Astigmata: Pyroglyphidae, Acaridae, Glycyphagidae)

From January 1990 to April 1995, 68 nests of in total 12 bird species were examined for the presence of allergenic mites. The majority of these nests were collected in Solarnia near Lubliniec, Tychy and vicinity, and in Laziska Gorne (all Upper Silesia, Poland). In addition, six brood shelters from Niepolomicka Forest were investigated. Among the most frequent and most abundant species of astigmatic mites were two pyroglyphids: Hirstia chelidonis and Dermatophagoides evansi. For the first time Dermatophagoides farinae (2 females and 3 males) was found in association with birds. The most important allergenic house dust and storage mites (Glycyphagus domesticus, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Acarus siro, D. farinae) were found among the less abundant mite species.

Detection of protozoans Babesia microti and Toxoplasma gondii and their co-existence in ticks (Acari: Ixodida) collected in Tarnogórski district (Upper Silesia, Poland)

INTRODUCTIONnTicks (Acari: Ixodida) are vectors of many pathogens i. a: Babesia microti [Bm] and Toxoplasma gondii [Tg]. In Poland, Ixodes ricinus [Ir] is the main vector of both pathogens. This tick species and pathogens transmitted by them are a significant threat to human and animal health.nnnOBJECTIVES OF THE STUDYnDetection of the protozoans Bm and Tg in ticks collected in the Tarnogórski district area.nnnMATERIAL AND METHODSnThe ticks were collected from vegetation and pets in the spring period of their activity on the territory of the Tarnogórski district. The parasites were preserved in 70% ethanol. DNA was isolated by ammonia method. Bm was detected by nested-PCR using specific primers for the 18S rRNA sequence. To detect the Tg a commercial kit was used. The PCR products were separated on 2% ethidium bromide stained agarose gels and visualised under UV light.nnnRESULTSnIt was showed that all collected ticks belonged to the species Ir. Bm was detected in 50.87% and Tg in 64.91% of all examined ticks. Co-existence of these both protozoans in 36.84% of total examined ticks was noted.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe study showed a high risk of exposure to Bm and Tg in the studied area. Ticks Ir play an important role in the transmission of Bm in this region. Demonstrating a high percentage of ticks collected from animals infected with Tg may indicate their important role in the transmission of this pathogen, but it requires a further studies.

Some allergenic species of astigmatid mites (Acari, Acaridida) from different synanthropic environments in southern Poland

A survey of allergenic mites from bird nests, farming environments, and from cages and runs of animals of the Silesian ZOO was made. A total of 12,986 mite speci- mens were isolated including 7,570 mites from the order Acaridida (58.3%). The astigma- tid mites were most abundant in farming environments and constituted 67.4% of all mites collected. They formed 46.7% and 58.6% of the total count from bird nests and the Sile- sian ZOO, respectively. More than 29 mite species were identified of which the most abundant were Acarus farris, Acarus immobilis (farms, Silesian ZOO) and Hirstia che- lidonis (bird nests). Caloglyphus oudemansi, the acarid mite species new to the fauna of Poland was found in a cowshed in Majdan Gorny. It is noteworthy that, to the best of our knowledge, samples from zoological garden were actually analysed for the first time on the occurrence of allergenic mites.

Risk of exposure to ticks (Ixodidae) and the prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in ticks in Southern Poland.

The article presents the results of the first study on seasonal activity of ticks and prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in nymphs from the Silesian Province (Southern Poland). Previous studies on the prevalence of TBEV in ticks in Poland have been conducted mostly in northern and eastern regions, but none in the Silesian Province itself. The aims of this study were to analyse the seasonal variation in tick populations and compare TBEV prevalence in nymphs from different geographical locations in the Silesia. A total of 5160 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected by the flagging method from 23 localities in southern Poland in 2010. Micro-climatic parameters (air temperature and humidity) were measured in order to estimate their influence on tick population. The highest tick activity was recorded in spring and was positively correlated with relative air humidity (RH). TBEV in the Silesian Province was analysed in 1750 nymphs and an overall prevalence was 0.11% (2 pools out of 175 analysed). The results of this study show that TBEV pool prevalence in nymphs is low in accordance with the low number of TBE cases reported within the region.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from southern Poland.

In 2008–2011 ticks were collected from southern Poland. Out of 6336 individuals collected and identified as Ixodes ricinus, 768 (2 larvae, 84 nymphs, 417 females, 265 males) were included in molecular study. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and types of genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to detect the presence of pathogens in ticks. Subsequently the amplified DNA was digested with TasI enzyme. The infection rate was 15% (116) of examined ticks. PCR-RFLP analysis allowed distinguishing three genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l.: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, and B. garinii. RFLP analyses of 116 positive samples revealed 96 (83%) monoinfections and 13 (11%) coinfections, whereas unidentified genospecies were present in 7 (6%) of positive samples. In the case of monoinfections, B. burgdorferi s.s. was the predominant species of pathogen in infected ticks - 61.4%. Other genospecies: B. garinii and B. afzelii were detected in 22.9% and 15.6% of the samples, respectively. To sum up, 15 % of ticks were infected by B. burgdorferi s.l which increases the risk of human infections in the recreational areas of southern Poland. Furthermore, there is a need to increase public awareness and implement more preventive measures concerning Lyme disease.

Mites and internal parasites associated with the common dung beetle Geotrupes (Anoplotrupes) stercorosus (Hartmann in Scriba, 1791) in Poland.

Common dung beetles collected in the “Sobieski Forest” (eastern border of Warsaw suburbs) were examined for the occurrence and prevalence of infections or infestations with intestinal parasites and phoretic mites in relation to soil characteristics and quality of the forest habitat. Endoparasitic fauna was represented by gregarines Didymophyes paradoxa, microsporidians Plistophora geotrupina and cysticerkoids of 2 tapeworms - Ditestolepis diaphana and Staphylocystis furcate. Prevalence of these infections was higher for beetles collected from rich habitats. Acarofauna was represented by hypopodes of Sancassania geotruporum (Astigmatina, Acaridae) and the following taxa of mesostigmatic mites: Alliphis halleri, Macrocheles glaber, Parasitus coleop-tratorum and unidentified juvenile Laelapidae representative. Mites were most abundant in June, July and September. They were only slightly more numerously found on dung beetles from the rich habitats. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, MDS (2D stress = 0.13) revealed significant similarities in the distribution of mite taxa between poor and rich sites and among the investigated months (June, July and September).

Phoresy of astigmatic mites on ticks and fleas in Poland

Abstract Phoresy is an association in which a small animal clings to a larger one exclusively for transportation. We searched for phoretic mites on fleas and ticks of small mammals. A total of 169 fleas of 7 species were collected in the Białowieża Forest (E Poland) and in Kosewo G órne (NE Poland) in July and August in 2007 and 2008. Moreover, 20 nymphs and 12 females of Ixodes hexagonus (Leach, 1815) were collected in the beaver farm of the Research Station of Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno (NE Poland) in April and May 2009. Phoretic mites were found on 26 fleas (15.4%) of the following species: Megabothris walkeri (Rothschild, 1902), Megabothris turbidus (Rothschild, 1909), Ctenophthalmus agyrtes (Heller, 1896), and Hystrichopsylla orientalis (Smit, 1956). The mites were located mainly on abdominal sternites. Among ticks, only one female was positive for mites, whose larvae (hypopi) were found on its legs. A total of 6 species of mites were identified. On I. hexagonus, we found Acarus farris (Oudemans, 1905) (53 larvae), Acarus siro (L., 1758) (2 larvae), Acarus nidicolous (Griffiths, 1970) (1 larva), Caloglyphus rhizoglyphoides (Zachvatkin, 1937) (1 larva), and Histiostoma feroniarum (Dufour, 1904) (28 larvae), whereas on fleas, 79 larvae of Acarus nidicolous, 1 male of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank, 1781), and 1 unidentified trombiculid larva. The last 2 mite specimens were found on M. turbidus. This is the first report on phoretic association of the flea H. orientalis and the tick I. hexagonus with mites

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and Toxoplasma gondii in Ixodes ricinus (Acari, Ixodida) ticks collected from Slowinski National Park (Northern Poland)

1Department of Parasitology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jedności 8, 41-218 Sosnowiec, Poland, masman@sum.edu.pl 2Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054, Kraków, Poland 3Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Kraków, Poland 4Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Human Biology, Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Kraków, Poland

The risk of exposure to parasitic mites and insects occurring on pets in Southern Poland

Companion animals, including pets, can be infested by many species of parasitic mites and insects, which can pose a threat to the health of both animals and humans. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of exposure of companion animals to various species of external parasites which can be transferred to humans and cause many skin diseases. External parasites were collected in 2012–2014 from the patients of veterinary clinics in the provinces of Silesia and Malopolska (Southern Poland). Parasitic mites and insects were collected using preparation needles. Parasites were classified to species and life stage under a Stemi 2000-C stereomicroscope (Zeiss) or an ECLIPSE E-200 optical microscope (Nikon). They were then analysed by an Optika Vision Pro system (Nikon). In total, 77 samples were taken: 62 from the Malopolska and 15 from Silesia. A total of 999 specimens of parasitic mites and 225 specimens of parasitic insects were isolated from the samples. The dominant mite species was Otodectes cynotis var. cati (Astigmatina, Psoroptidae) with 855 isolated specimens (85.6% of the total number of isolated mites). Polyplax spinulosa was the predominant parasitic insect species: 209 specimens were identified, constituting 92.9% of all examined insects. Our findings indicate that companion animals and their owners have a high risk of exposure to ectoparasites.

Body Size Variability in Different Forms of Heteromorphic Males in Populations of the House Dust Mite Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes 1961 (Acari: Astigmata: Pyroglyphidae)

Abstract. Multivariate statistical analyses of six quantitative characteristics revealed conspicuous variation within heteromorphic males of Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari, Pyroglyphidae) collected from house dust samples and from laboratory populations. Cluster analysis, principal coordinate analysis, analysis of variance and discriminant analysis revealed the presence of three heteromorphic forms and proved the taxonomic usefulness of quantitative characteristics such as length and width of idiosoma, length of gnathosoma, width of femur I and length of sternum.