Detecting zoonotic Babesia in small mammals and Ixodes ricinus in western France
Résumé
The presence of potentially zoonotic Babesia spp., especially B. microti, was investigated in 597 individuals of five small mammal species that may be reservoirs for the species and in 2620 questing nymphs of Ixodes ricinus in rural landscapes of Western France (Brittany). We found very low prevalences of zoonotic Babesia in these samples (0.17 % for small mammals and 0.50 % for the ticks) and conclude that exposure of humans to these infectious agents is probably low in western France.