{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T00:41:37Z","timestamp":1759970497621,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,26]],"date-time":"2025-01-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737849600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Doctoral School of the National Education Commission in Krak\u00f3w, Poland"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>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.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14020117","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,27]],"date-time":"2025-01-27T03:54:27Z","timestamp":1737950067000},"page":"117","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected from Nature-Educational and Tourist Trails in the Poprad Landscape Park"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7049-8498","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sylwia","family":"Koczanowicz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, University of the National Education Commission, Podchor\u0105\u017cych 2, 30-084 Cracow, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Magdalena","family":"Nowak-Chmura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Earth Sciences, University of the National Education Commission, Podchor\u0105\u017cych 2, 30-084 Cracow, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Koco\u0144","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Jordana 19, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Grzegorz","family":"R\u0105czka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Forest Management Planning, Pozna\u0144 University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Pozna\u0144, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8832-7726","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marek","family":"Asman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Jordana 19, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1227","DOI":"10.1080\/17445647.2015.1088751","article-title":"Recreational Trails in the Poprad Landscape Park, Poland: The Spatial Pattern of Trail Impacts and Use-Related, Environmental, and Managerial Factors","volume":"12","author":"Tomczyk","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. 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