Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.4
3.3
Journals
Pathogens
Special Issues
Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Balkans
share announcement

Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Balkans

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Ticks".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 4098

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pavle Banović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: tick-borne disease diagnostics; pathogen isolation; pathogen detection; vaccines; assay development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dejan Jakimovski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. University Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions – Skopje; 2. Balkan Association for Vector-Borne Diseases
Interests: tick-borne diseases; viral hemorrhagic fevers; vector-borne diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the present landscape, numerous accounts highlight the emergence of previously neglected, undetected, or misdiagnosed tick-borne pathogens and associated diseases in the Balkans. As the focal point of this Special Issue, we delve into the clinical spectrum, unique characteristics, and effective treatment modalities for tick-borne diseases in the Balkan region. This Special Issue will also focus on the detection and description of tick-borne pathogens in ticks, animals or humans within the Balkan peninsula.  We invite contributions that provide insights into the prevalence and characteristics of ticks and tick-borne pathogens, as well as those that describe clinical aspects, address diagnostic challenges, and propose effective treatment approaches for tick-borne infections in the Balkans, fostering a deeper understanding of these diseases among healthcare practitioners and researchers.

This Special Issue is open to all researchers involved in research on ticks, tick-borne pathogens and the diseases they cause in the Balkan region; original research articles, reviews and case reports are welcome.

Dr. Pavle Banović
Dr. Dejan Jakimovski
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ticks
  • tick-borne pathogens
  • tick-borne diseases
  • the Balkan region
  • prevalence
  • characteristics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

8 pages, 908 KiB  
Article
Serological Assessment of Lyme borreliosis in Bulgaria: A Nationwide Study
by Kim Ngoc, Iva Trifonova, Teodora Gladnishka, Evgenia Taseva, Elitsa Panayotova, Iva Vladimirova, Vladislava Ivanova, Eleonora Kuteva and Iva Christova
Pathogens 2024, 13(9), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13090754 - 2 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 789
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis (LB), a tick-borne infection caused by bacteria in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, is increasingly prevalent on the Balkan Peninsula, including Bulgaria, where it is the most common tick-borne disease. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of LB across [...] Read more.
Lyme borreliosis (LB), a tick-borne infection caused by bacteria in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, is increasingly prevalent on the Balkan Peninsula, including Bulgaria, where it is the most common tick-borne disease. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of LB across Bulgaria by analyzing 1892 serum samples for specific IgG antibodies using a two-tier testing protocol involving an ELISA and immunoblot methods. The results revealed an overall seroprevalence rate of 5.4%, with significant variation based on age, sex, and residence. Seroprevalence increased with age, peaking at 8.4% in individuals over 65 years. Males had a seroprevalence of 8.4% compared to 3.3% in females, and rural residents showed higher seroprevalence (10.2%) compared to urban residents (4.4%). Regional analysis indicated that seroprevalence ranged from 0.0% to 20.0%, with higher rates in northern provinces such as Gabrovo (18.9%) and Targovishte (20.0%). This study highlights the importance of two-step testing protocols for accurate diagnosis and underscores the need for increased awareness and further research to enhance public health measures and the management of LB in Bulgaria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Balkans)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2397 KiB  
Article
Tick-Borne Pathogens in Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks from Bosnia and Herzegovina
by Teufik Goletić, Darinka Klarić Soldo, Naida Kapo, Šejla Goletić, Amira Koro-Spahić, Amra Alispahić, Adis Softić, Vedad Škapur and Jasmin Omeragić
Pathogens 2024, 13(5), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13050421 - 16 May 2024
Viewed by 2007
Abstract
Dermacentor (D.) reticulatus ticks carry and transmit a wide range of pathogens to vertebrate hosts. Limited information is available about the existence of emerging tick-borne pathogens and the distribution of D. reticulatus in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study aimed to investigate the occurrence [...] Read more.
Dermacentor (D.) reticulatus ticks carry and transmit a wide range of pathogens to vertebrate hosts. Limited information is available about the existence of emerging tick-borne pathogens and the distribution of D. reticulatus in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study aimed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of D. reticulatus and to detect the presence of Anaplasma spp., Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi s.l., Rickettsia spp., and Babesia spp. in samples originating from questing ticks and ticks collected from domestic animals in various regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A total of 402 collected D. reticulatus ticks were widely distributed throughout the country. Of the 41 pools consisting of 205 individual D. reticulatus ticks, 21 (51.2%) indicated the presence of Rickettsia spp., 17 (41.4%) of Babesia spp., 2 (4.8%) of Anaplasma spp., and 1 (2.4%) of B. burgdorferi s.l. after real-time PCR screening. Our study indicates that D. reticulatus has significantly expanded its distribution and host range in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moreover, our results represent the first detection of Babesia spp. in D. reticulatus in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Given the demonstrated presence of emerging pathogens in questing and feeding ticks, there is an urge to establish a surveillance system for ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Balkans)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

11 pages, 1050 KiB  
Case Report
Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in a Two-Year-Old Child Returning from Switzerland (July–August 2023): Is It Time for TBE Immunization of Serbian Travelers?
by Verica Simin, Ognjen Ležakov, Ivana Bogdan, Dragana Mijatović, Dragana Gazibara, Lidija Popović-Dragonjić, Gordana Vijatov Đurić, Borko Milanović, Jelena Kesić, Andrea Đuretić, Ágota Ábrahám, Zsófia Lanszki, Gábor Kemenesi, Brigitta Zana, Krisztián Bányai, Zbigniew Zając, Dejan Jakimovski, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz and Pavle Banović
Pathogens 2024, 13(11), 1013; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13111013 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 531
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a vaccine-preventable viral infection that poses significant public health challenges, particularly in regions where tick-borne diseases are endemic. This case report describes a 2-year-old boy with confirmed abortive TBEV infection following a tick bite during travel to Switzerland. The [...] Read more.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a vaccine-preventable viral infection that poses significant public health challenges, particularly in regions where tick-borne diseases are endemic. This case report describes a 2-year-old boy with confirmed abortive TBEV infection following a tick bite during travel to Switzerland. The patient developed fever and mild symptoms but did not exhibit central nervous system involvement. The case underscores the importance of raising awareness among healthcare providers and travelers from non-endemic areas, such as Serbia, about TBE risk and the potential benefits of preventive vaccination. Strategic immunization campaigns could mitigate the public health impact of travel-related TBE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Balkans)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop