{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T13:37:12Z","timestamp":1792503432292,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,25]],"date-time":"2025-05-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748131200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of Republic of Serbia","award":["451-03-66\/2024-03\/200031"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["451-03-66\/2024-03\/200031"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Ticks carry numerous pathogens that, if transmitted, can cause disease in humans and animals. Research on pathogens transmitted from ticks to humans is essential for improving public health strategies against tick-borne diseases (TBDs). In this study, Ixodes ricinus ticks found on humans were collected and examined between 2019 and 2024. This study is about the molecular characteristics of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in the region of northern Serbia, including Borrelia\u00a0burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Coxiella burnetii. We identified B. burgdorferi s.l. as the most prevalent in ticks (20.45%). Molecular analysis identified two genospecies, B. afzelii and B. burgdorferi s.s., indicating genetic diversity among Borrelia spirochetes. A. phagocytophilum was detected in ticks with a prevalence of (1.62%), while C. burnetii was not found in any of the ticks. Our findings highlight the necessity of monitoring tick pathogens in ticks removed from humans. Serbia is an endemic region for some tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease. Regular surveillance of tick populations, with molecular identification of pathogens, offers insight into transmission dynamics, allowing for monitoring and public health interventions to be created if needed due to increased risk.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14060528","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,25]],"date-time":"2025-05-25T20:26:50Z","timestamp":1748204810000},"page":"528","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Molecular Detection and Characterization of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected from Humans"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3739-1709","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marina","family":"\u017deki\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific Veterinary Institute \u201cNovi Sad\u201d, 21113 Novi Sad, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4053-5590","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tja\u0161a Cerar","family":"Ki\u0161ek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Department for Public Health Microbiology, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vesna","family":"Cvitkovi\u0107-\u0160pik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Diagnostics of Borreliosis and Lepotospirosis, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eva","family":"Ru\u017ei\u0107-Sablji\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Diagnostics of Borreliosis and Lepotospirosis, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8824-8347","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vladimir","family":"Gajdov","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific Veterinary Institute \u201cNovi Sad\u201d, 21113 Novi Sad, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3410-6842","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aleksandar","family":"Potkonjak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aleksandar","family":"Juri\u0161i\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental and Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7875-9234","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Savi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Scientific Veterinary Institute \u201cNovi Sad\u201d, 21113 Novi Sad, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sonenshine, D.E. 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