| Summary: | Ixodes ricinus tick is the main vector for the causative agents of various zoonotic diseases, including Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Different species of rodents are the main hosts of immature stages of Ixode sticks and recognized as reservoirs of several tickborne pathogens, such Borrelia burgdorferi sensulato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Babesia microti and Rickettsia species. Populations of rodents and their ectoparasites that have close contact with humans can influence public health due to the potential risk for diseases transmission. Also, there is little known about density of ticks in gardens and the diversity of tick-borne pathogens that they carry. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and prevalence of pathogens in ticks parasitizing different species of small rodents in commercial orchards and berry plantationsin Lithuania. Ticks were collected from six different species of rodents (Apodemus flavicollis, A. agrarius, Microtus arvalis, M. agrestis, M. oeconomus and Myodes glareolus) caught in apple orchards, and currant and raspberry plantations in Lithuania in 2018 and 2020. Rodents were infected with Ixodes ricinus larvae and nymphs. After DNA extraction, ticks were further analysed for the presence of Borrelia spp, Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. pathogens by real-time PCR followed by sequencing for species identification. Our investigations provide new information on detection of multiple pathogens in I. Ricinu sticks parasitizing small rodents in commercial gardens in Lithuania Biologijos katedra Gamtos mokslų fakultetas Gamtos tyrimų centras Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas
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