@article{FietzLangerHavensteinetal.2016,
  author    = {Fietz, Joanna and Langer, Franz and Havenstein, Nadine and Matuschka, Franz-Rainer and Richter, Dania},
  title     = {The vector tick Ixodes ricinus feeding on an arboreal rodent-the edible dormouse Glis glis},
  series = {Parasitology research},
  volume    = {115},
  journal   = {Parasitology research},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {New York},
  issn      = {0932-0113},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00436-015-4877-1},
  pages     = {1435 -- 1442},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The reservoir competence and long life expectancy of edible dormice, Glis glis, suggest that they serve as efficient reservoir hosts for Lyme disease (LD) spirochetes. Their arboreality, however, may reduce the probability to encounter sufficient questing Ixodes ricinus ticks to acquire and perpetuate LD spirochetes. To define the potential role of this small arboreal hibernator in the transmission cycle of LD spirochetes, we examined their rate and density of infestation with subadult ticks throughout the season of activity. Of the 1081 edible dormice that we captured at five study sites in Southern Germany and inspected for ticks at 2946 capture occasions, 26 \% were infested with at least one and as many as 26 subadult ticks on their ear pinnae. The distribution of ticks feeding on edible dormice was highly aggregated. Although only few individuals harbored nymphal ticks soon after their emergence from hibernation, the rate of nymphal infestation increased steadily throughout the season and reached about 35 \% in September. Dormice inhabiting a site with few conspecifics seemed more likely to be infested by numerous ticks, particularly nymphs, than those individuals living in densely populated sites. Male dormice were more likely to be parasitized by numerous nymphs than were females, independent of their age and body mass. Our observation that season, population density, and sex affect the rates of ticks feeding on edible dormice suggests that the contribution of edible dormice to the transmission cycle of LD spirochetes depends mainly on their ranging behavior and level of activity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MaazKrueckenBluemkeetal.2018,
  author    = {Maaz, Denny and Kr{\"u}cken, Juergen and Bl{\"u}mke, Julia and Richter, Dania and McKay-Demeler, Janina and Matuschka, Franz-Rainer and Hartmann, Susanne and von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Georg},
  title     = {Factors associated with diversity, quantity and zoonotic potential of ectoparasites on urban mice and voles},
  series = {PLoS one},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {PLoS one},
  number    = {6},
  publisher = {PLoS},
  address   = {San Fransisco},
  issn      = {1932-6203},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0199385},
  pages     = {32},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {Wild rodents are important hosts for tick larvae but co-infestations with other mites and insects are largely neglected. Small rodents were trapped at four study sites in Berlin, Germany, to quantify their ectoparasite diversity. Host-specific, spatial and temporal occurrence of ectoparasites was determined to assess their influence on direct and indirect zoonotic risk due to mice and voles in an urban agglomeration. Rodent-associated arthropods were diverse, including 63 species observed on six host species with an overall prevalence of 99\%. The tick Ixodes ricinus was the most prevalent species, found on 56\% of the rodents. The trapping location clearly affected the presence of different rodent species and, therefore, the occurrence of particular host-specific parasites. In Berlin, fewer temporary and periodic parasite species as well as non-parasitic species (fleas, chiggers and nidicolous Gamasina) were detected than reported from rural areas. In addition, abundance of parasites with low host-specificity (ticks, fleas and chiggers) apparently decreased with increasing landscape fragmentation associated with a gradient of urbanisation. In contrast, stationary ectoparasites, closely adapted to the rodent host, such as the fur mites Myobiidae and Listrophoridae, were most abundant at the two urban sites. A direct zoonotic risk of infection for people may only be posed by Nosopsyllus fasciatus fleas, which were prevalent even in the city centre. More importantly, peridomestic rodents clearly supported the life cycle of ticks in the city as hosts for their subadult stages. In addition to trapping location, season, host species, body condition and host sex, infestation with fleas, gamasid Laelapidae mites and prostigmatic Myobiidae mites were associated with significantly altered abundance of I. ricinus larvae on mice and voles. Whether this is caused by predation, grooming behaviour or interaction with the host immune system is unclear. The present study constitutes a basis to identify interactions and vector function of rodent-associated arthropods and their potential impact on zoonotic diseases.},
  language  = {en}
}