{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T05:17:49Z","timestamp":1788499069967,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788307200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development","award":["D\u017bW.zlf.890.6.2023"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["D\u017bW.zlf.890.6.2023"]}]},{"award":["D\u017bW.zlf.890.6.2023"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["D\u017bW.zlf.890.6.2023"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05rdz5425","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are important infections affecting animal health, and some are zoonotic. Understanding the distribution of TBDs in wildlife is important to evaluate the role of wild animals in the maintenance and spread of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in natural ecosystems. This study investigates the occurrence of selected TBPs, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum and piroplasms (Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.), in three widespread wild cervids from Poland: red deer, fallow deer, and roe deer. Ninety spleen tissue samples (30 per species) were collected and analyzed by endpoint PCR and sequencing. DNA of A. phagocytophilum was detected in 54.6% of the samples, mainly in red deer (75.9%), followed by fallow deer (46.4%) and roe deer (41.4%). Piroplasm DNA was found in 30% of the samples, with the highest prevalence in red deer (47%), followed by fallow deer (27%) and roe deer (17%). Sequencing analysis showed the presence of Theileria capreoli and identified two distinct genotypes: \u201celaphi-CE1\u201d, associated with red deer and fallow deer, and \u201ccapreoli-CE1\u201d, associated with roe deer. The results update the epidemiology of TBPs in Poland, supporting the role of cervids as potential reservoirs of A. phagocytophilum and T. capreoli, confirming the need for surveillance in wildlife. Further studies are needed to investigate the distribution of T. capreoli genotypes across Europe.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16172747","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T08:56:01Z","timestamp":1788339361000},"page":"2747","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Tick-Borne Pathogens in Wild Cervids from Poland: A Molecular Survey on Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Piroplasms"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7942-6129","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emily","family":"Sel","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Giulia","family":"Libertini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5292-0613","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fabrizio","family":"Bertelloni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Ewa","family":"Bilska-Zaj\u0105c","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Bee Diseases and Aquatic Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Pu\u0142awy, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"funding-acquisition","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Agnieszka","family":"Jode\u0142ko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bacteriology and Bacterial Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Pu\u0142awy, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"funding-acquisition","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7997-776X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina Virginia","family":"Ebani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3018-8086","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lisa","family":"Guardone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e004725","DOI":"10.1590\/s1984-29612025062","article-title":"Impact of Climate Change on the Tick-Host-Pathogen Complex: Distribution Patterns, Disease Incidence, and Host Infestation","volume":"34","author":"Alasmari","year":"2025","journal-title":"Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S247","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182004005190","article-title":"Babesiosis of Cattle","volume":"129","author":"Bock","year":"2004","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"6938","article-title":"Overview: Ticks as Vectors of Pathogens That Cause Disease in Humans and Animals","volume":"13","author":"Venzal","year":"2008","journal-title":"Front. Biosci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106586","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2022.106586","article-title":"Molecular Survey on the Presence of Arthropod-Borne Bacteria and Protozoans in Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Ticks from Central Italy","volume":"233","author":"Ebani","year":"2022","journal-title":"Acta Trop."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Myczka, A.W., Steiner-Bogdaszewska, \u017b., Olo\u015b, G., Bajer, A., and Laskowski, Z. (2024). Diversity of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Strains from Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland. Animals, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14040637"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"taad071","DOI":"10.1093\/jtm\/taad071","article-title":"Detection of Babesia and Theileria Species in Ticks from North-Eastern Poland","volume":"30","author":"Wondim","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Travel Med."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-3305-7-70","article-title":"Piroplasmosis in Wildlife: Babesia and Theileria Affecting Free-Ranging Ungulates and Carnivores in the Italian Alps","volume":"7","author":"Zanet","year":"2014","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"599","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-019-3852-6","article-title":"A Review on the Eco-Epidemiology and Clinical Management of Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis and Its Agent in Europe","volume":"12","author":"Matei","year":"2019","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e70387","DOI":"10.1002\/vms3.70387","article-title":"Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a Zoonotic Vector-Borne Bacterial Species in Rodents and Its Associated Tick Vector: Systematic Review","volume":"11","author":"Monyama","year":"2025","journal-title":"Vet. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijppaw.2019.05.005","article-title":"Prevalence and Distribution of Babesia and Theileria Species in Roe Deer from Spain","volume":"9","author":"Remesar","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Parasitol. Parasites Wildl."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-017-2403-2","article-title":"Evidence for Host Specificity of Theileria capreoli Genotypes in Cervids","volume":"10","author":"Hornok","year":"2017","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109433","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2021.109433","article-title":"A Historical Review of Babesia Spp. Associated with Deer in Europe: Babesia divergens\/Babesia divergens-like, Babesia capreoli, Babesia venatorum, Babesia Cf. odocoilei","volume":"294","author":"Fanelli","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1017\/S0031182006001569","article-title":"Molecular Detection and Characterization of Piroplasms Infecting Cervids and Chamois in Northern Spain","volume":"134","author":"Aurtenetxe","year":"2007","journal-title":"Parasitology"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1186\/1297-9716-45-65","article-title":"Babesia Spp. in European Wild Ruminant Species: Parasite Diversity and Risk Factors for Infection","volume":"45","author":"Michel","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hildebrandt, A., Zintl, A., Montero, E., Hunfeld, K.-P., and Gray, J. (2021). Human Babesiosis in Europe. Pathogens, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens10091165"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2004.07.026","article-title":"The Risks of Translocating Wildlife","volume":"126","author":"Vicente","year":"2004","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1007\/s10344-007-0133-z","article-title":"Identification and Molecular Characterization of Theileria sp. Infecting Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in Northwestern Poland","volume":"54","author":"Sawczuk","year":"2008","journal-title":"Eur. J. Wildl. Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.26444\/aaem\/142513","article-title":"Contribution of Tick-Borne Diseases to Mortality in Juvenile Free-Living Cervids","volume":"29","author":"Kowalec","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann. Agric. Environ. Med."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"243","article-title":"Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) as a Reservoir of Protozoans from Babesia and Theileria Genus in North-Western Poland","volume":"51","author":"Sawczuk","year":"2005","journal-title":"Wiad. Parazytol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"668","DOI":"10.17221\/1975-VETMED","article-title":"Coexistence of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Game Animals and Ticks in Western Poland","volume":"53","author":"Skotarczak","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.1089\/vbz.2012.1136","article-title":"Co-Infection and Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Roe Deer from Poland","volume":"13","author":"Werszko","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vector-Borne Zoonotic Dis."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1090","DOI":"10.1128\/JCM.36.4.1090-1095.1998","article-title":"Nested PCR Assay for Detection of Granulocytic Ehrlichiae","volume":"36","author":"Massung","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Clin. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"843","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpara.2008.12.005","article-title":"Diversity of Babesia and Theileria Species in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Dogs in Croatia","volume":"39","author":"Beck","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5463","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.74.12.5463","article-title":"DNA Sequencing with Chain-Terminating Inhibitors","volume":"74","author":"Sanger","year":"1977","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"441","DOI":"10.1016\/0022-2836(75)90213-2","article-title":"A Rapid Method for Determining Sequences in DNA by Primed Synthesis with DNA Polymerase","volume":"94","author":"Sanger","year":"1975","journal-title":"J. Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101465","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ttbdis.2020.101465","article-title":"The Role of Different Species of Wild Ungulates and Ixodes Ricinus Ticks in the Circulation of Genetic Variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in a Forest Biotope in North-Western Poland","volume":"11","author":"Adamska","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ticks Tick-Borne Dis."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ebani, V.V., Bongi, P., Trebino, C., Bertelloni, F., Cagnoli, G., Bigliazzi, B., Del Frate, M., Apollonio, M., and Mancianti, F. (2025). The Presence of Bacterial and Protozoan Pathogens in Wild Fallow Deer (Dama dama) from a Protected Area in Central Italy. Biology, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/biology14040342"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cimid.2016.06.003","article-title":"Molecular Survey on the Presence of Zoonotic Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Wild Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)","volume":"47","author":"Ebani","year":"2016","journal-title":"Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tang, L., Dong, S., and Xing, X. (2024). Comparative Genomics Reveal Phylogenetic Relationship and Chromosomal Evolutionary Events of Eight Cervidae Species. Animals, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14071063"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1007\/s10493-019-00371-7","article-title":"A New Focus of the Tick Haemaphysalis concinna in Western Poland","volume":"78","author":"Mierzejewska","year":"2019","journal-title":"Exp. Appl. Acarol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"350","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetpar.2011.12.012","article-title":"Ixodid Ticks on Ruminants, with on-Host Initiated Moulting (Apolysis) of Ixodes, Haemaphysalis and Dermacentor Larvae","volume":"187","author":"Hornok","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rvsc.2010.07.029","article-title":"Detection and Molecular Characterization of Theileria sp. in Fallow Deer (Dama dama) and Ticks from an Italian Natural Preserve","volume":"91","author":"Galuppi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Res. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-016-1535-0","article-title":"Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Bacteria and Protozoa in Cervids and Wild Boars from Portugal","volume":"9","author":"Pereira","year":"2016","journal-title":"Parasites Vectors"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1208","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1308.061560","article-title":"Babesia Sp. EU1 from Roe Deer and Transmission within Ixodes ricinus","volume":"13","author":"Bonnet","year":"2007","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_35","first-page":"101500","article-title":"Molecular Evidence of Co-Infections with Anaplasma and Theileria Species in Domestic Sheep and Goats from Alentejo, Portugal","volume":"72","author":"Alves","year":"2026","journal-title":"Vet. Parasitol. Reg. Stud. Rep."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101719","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ttbdis.2021.101719","article-title":"Babesia Spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Free-Ranging Wild Ungulates in Central Austria","volume":"12","author":"Kogler","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ticks Tick-Borne Dis."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"405","DOI":"10.1007\/s10493-010-9337-0","article-title":"Tick Burden on European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus)","volume":"51","author":"Vor","year":"2010","journal-title":"Exp. Appl. Acarol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mcp.2016.08.008","article-title":"Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia Spp. in Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), Fallow Deer (Dama dama) and Mouflon (Ovis musimon) in Germany","volume":"31","author":"Kauffmann","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mol. Cell. Probes"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1084","DOI":"10.1111\/tbed.14065","article-title":"Prevalence of Selected Tick-borne Pathogens in Wild Ungulates and Ticks in Southern Spain","volume":"69","author":"Adaszek","year":"2022","journal-title":"Transbounding Emerg. Dis."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cafiso, A., Bazzocchi, C., Cavagna, M., Di Lorenzo, E., Serra, V., Rossi, R., and Comazzi, S. (2021). Molecular Survey of Babesia Spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Roe Deer from a Wildlife Rescue Center in Italy. Animals, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11113335"}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/17\/2747\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T04:34:26Z","timestamp":1788496466000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/17\/2747"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"17","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["ani16172747"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani16172747","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]]}}}