Tick Research Group

Research Group on Ticks and Tick-Borne Microorganisms

Publications

Publications published by (former) members of the research group on ticks and tick-borne microorganisms:

  1. Brestrich, G., Shafquat, M., Pilz, A., Zurl, M., Tan, Y., Guem, T., Schmid, D., Sellner, J., Wijnveld, M., Moisi, J., Stark, J.H., 2026. Estimation of the burden of Lyme borreliosis in Austria using hospital discharge data. Int. J. Infect. Dis. 108934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2026.108934
  2. Florian, D.M., Jetzinger, P., Schötta, A., Medits-Weiss, I., Irgang, M., Ebert, C.L., Bauer, M., Popovitsch, A., Leitner, A., Raffl, S., Han, E., Becker, S.C., Deutz, A., Ahmeti, S., Emmerich, P., Markowicz, M., Duscher, G.G., Aberle, S.W., Wijnveld, M., Stiasny, K., Camp, J. V, Aberle, J.H., 2026. Widespread circulation of Alongshan virus in Austria and serological evidence for infection in humans: a nationwide molecular and serological observational study. The Lancet Microbe 101404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanmic.2026.101404
  3. Szabó, É.S., Ruivo, M., Köves, D.A., Miklós, M., Kulin, F., Wijnveld, M., Földvári, G., 2026. Pathogen diversity of the neglected winter tick Alloceraea inermis in Hungary. Curr. Res. Parasitol. Vector-Borne Dis. 9, 100389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpvbd.2026.100389
  4. Ruivo, M.; Schötta, A.-M.; Stelzer, T.; Reiter, M.; Wijnveld, M. Comparative analysis of Borrelia’s Defence mechanisms and their impact on genetic manipulation of low-passage isolates of Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. Curr. Res. Microb. Sci. 2026, 10, 100543, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmicr.2025.100543.
  5. Strobl, J.; Kleissl, L.; Eder, J.; Connolly, S.; Frey, T.; Gail, L.M.; Kopf, A.; Weninger, S.; Markowicz, M.; Bartíková, P.; et al. Human epidermal Langerhans cells induce tolerance and hamper T cell function upon tick-borne pathogen transmission. Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 11715, doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66821-6.
  6. Hoxha, I.; Dervović, J.; Ruivo, M.; Wijnveld, M.; Obwaller, A.G.; Jäger, B.; Weiler, M.; Walochnik, J.; Kniha, E.; Alić, A. Molecular Typing of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ixodids of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Microorganisms 2025, 13, 1054, doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051054.
  7. Dessau, R.B.; Raffetin, A.; Eikeland, R.; Fingerle, V.; Henningsson, A.J.; Hunfeld, K.-P.; Jaulhac, B.; Lienhard, R.; Lindgren, P.-E.; Markowicz, M.; et al. The choice of study designs of diagnostic accuracy using Borrelia specific IgG and IgM antibodies for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 2025, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2025.04.001.
  8. Kleissl, L.; Weninger, S.; Winkler, F.; Ruivo, M.; Wijnveld, M.; Strobl, J. Ticks’ tricks: immunomodulatory effects of ixodid tick saliva at the cutaneous tick-host interface. Front. Immunol. 2025, 16, 1–19, doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1520665.
  9. Hoxha, I.; Xhekaj, B.; Halimi, G.; Wijnveld, M.; Ruivo, M.; Çaushi, D.; Matoshi, A.; Obwaller, A.G.; Jäger, B.; Weiler, M.; et al. Zoonotic Tick‐Borne Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Complex (Acari: Ixodidae) From Urban and Peri‐Urban Areas of Kosovo. Zoonoses Public Health 2024, 1–10, doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.13197.
  10. Ruivo, M.; Schötta, A.; Stelzer, T.; Hermann, L.; Mündler, V.; Bergthaler, A.; Reiter, M.; Wijnveld, M. Optimising Transformation Efficiency in Borrelia : Unravelling the Role of the Restriction-Modification System of Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. 2024, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252111343.
  11. Schötta, A.-M.; Stelzer, T.; Stanek, G.; Stockinger, H.; Wijnveld, M. Bacteria and protozoa with pathogenic potential in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Viennese recreational areas. Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-022-02046-7.
  12. Strobl, J.; Mündler, V.; Müller, S.; Gindl, A.; Berent, S.; Schötta, A.M.; Kleissl, L.; Staud, C.; Redl, A.; Unterluggauer, L.; et al. Tick feeding modulates the human skin immune landscape to facilitate tick-borne pathogen transmission. J. Clin. Invest. 2022, 132, https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI161188.
  13. Gindl, A.; Schötta, A.M.; Berent, S.; Markowicz, M.; Stockinger, H.; Thalhammer, F.; Stary, G.; Strobl, J. Persistent Lyme disease with cutaneous Borrelia biofilm formation. Br. J. Dermatol. 2022, 186, 1041–1043, https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.20977.
  14. Wijnveld, M.; Schötta, A.; Stelzer, T.; Duscher, G.; Leschnik, M.; Stockinger, H.; Lindgren, P.; Stanek, G. Novel Protozoans in Austria Revealed through the Use of Dogs as Sentinels for Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 1392, https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9071392.
  15. Markowicz, M.; Schötta, A.-M.; Höss, D.; Kundi, M.; Schray, C.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G. Infections with Tickborne Pathogens after Tick Bite, Austria, 2015–2018. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2021, 27, 1048–1056, https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2704.203366.
  16. Markowicz, M.; Schötta, A.M.; Penatzer, F.; Matscheko, C.; Stanek, G.; Stockinger, H.; Riedler, J. Isolation of francisella tularensis from skin ulcer after a tick bite, austria, 2020. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 9–12, https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9071407.
  17. Tobudic, S.; Burgmann, H.; Stanek, G.; Winkler, S.; Schötta, A.; Obermüller, M.; Markowicz, M.; Lagler, H. Human Borrelia miyamotoi Infection, Austria. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2020, 26, 2201–2204, https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2609.191501.
  18. Apostolovic, D.; Mihailovic, J.; Commins, S.P.; Wijnveld, M.; Kazimirova, M.; Starkhammar, M.; Stockinger, H.; Platts‐Mills, T.A.E.; Cirkovic Velickovic, T.; Hamsten, C.; et al. Allergenomics of the tick Ixodes ricinus reveals important α-Gal–carrying IgE-binding proteins in red meat allergy. Allergy Eur. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 2020, 75, 217–220, https://doi.org/10.1111/all.13978.
  19. Markowicz, M.; Schötta, A.-M.; Wijnveld, M.; Stanek, G. Lyme Borreliosis with Scalp Eschar Mimicking Rickettsial Infection, Austria. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2020, 26, 2193–2195, https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2609.191256.
  20. Schötta, A.-M.; Wijnveld, M.; Höss, D.; Stanek, G.; Stockinger, H.; Markowicz, M. Identification and Characterization of “Candidatus Rickettsia Thierseensis”, a Novel Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Species Detected in Austria. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1670, https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8111670.
  21. Hornok, S.; Sándor, A.D.; Földvári, G.; Ionică, A.M.; Silaghi, C.; Takács, N.; Schötta, A.; Wijnveld, M. First broad-range molecular screening of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes (Pholeoixodes) kaiseri, with special emphasis on piroplasms. Acta Vet. Hung. 2020, 68, 30–33, https://doi.org/10.1556/004.2020.00003.
  22. Reiter, M.; Stelzer, T.; Schötta, A.M.; Markowicz, M.; Leschnik, M.; Harsch, A.; Reiß, E.; Kneusel, R.E.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G. Glycerophosphodiester Phosphodiesterase Identified as Non-Reliable Serological Marker for Borrelia miyamotoi Disease. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1846, https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8121846.
  23. Ullah, H.; Kontschán, J.; Takács, N.; Wijnveld, M.; Schötta, A.; Boldogh, S.A.; Sándor, A.D.; Szekeres, S.; Görföl, T.; Rasheed, S.B.; et al. A new Rickettsia honei-related genotype, two novel soft tick haplotypes and first records of three mite species associated with bats in Pakistan. Syst. Appl. Acarol. 2019, 24, 2106–2118, https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.24.11.6.
  24. Olivieri, E.; Wijnveld, M.; Bonga, M.; Berger, L.; Manfredi, M.T.; Veronesi, F.; Jongejan, F. Transmission of Rickettsia raoultii and Rickettsia massiliae DNA by Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.) ticks during artificial feeding. Parasit. Vectors 2018, 11, 494, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-3075-2.
  25. Markowicz, M.; Schötta, A.M.; Kundi, M.; Bogovič, P.; Ogrinc, K.; Strle, F.; Stanek, G. CXCL13 concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis and other neurological disorders determined by Luminex and ELISA. Ticks Tick. Borne. Dis. 2018, 9, 1137–1142, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.04.008.
  26. Duscher, G.G.; Hodžić, A.; Hufnagl, P.; Wille-Piazzai, W.; Schötta, A.M.; Markowicz, M.A.; Estrada-Peña, A.; Stanek, G.; Allerberger, F. Adult Hyalomma marginatum tick positive for Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Austria, October 2018. Eurosurveillance 2018, 23, 1–3, https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.48.1800595.
  27. Schötta, A.-M.; Wijnveld, M.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G. Approaches for Reverse Line Blot-Based Detection of Microbial Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected in Austria and Impact of the Chosen Method. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2017, 83, e00489-17, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00489-17.
  28. Reiter, M.; Knecht, C.; Müller, A.; Schötta, A.-M.; Leschnik, M.; Wijnveld, M.; Weissenböck, H.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G.; Sipos, W. The domestic pig as a potential model for Borrelia skin infection. Ticks Tick. Borne. Dis. 2017, 8, 300–308, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.12.003.
  29. Markowicz, M.; Schötta, A.M.; Wijnveld, M.; Stanek, G. Human granulocytic anaplasmosis acquired in Connecticut, USA, diagnosed in Vienna, Austria, 2015. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2016, 84, 347–349, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2015.12.004.
  30. Wijnveld, M.; Schötta, A.-M.; Pintér, A.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G. Novel Rickettsia raoultii strain isolated and propagated from Austrian Dermacentor reticulatus ticks. Parasit. Vectors 2016, 9, 567, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-016-1858-x.
  31. Müller, A.; Reiter, M.; Schötta, A.M.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G. Detection of Bartonella spp. in Ixodes ricinus ticks and Bartonella seroprevalence in human populations. Ticks Tick. Borne. Dis. 2016, 7, 763–767, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.03.009.
  32. Harrison, N.; Burgmann, H.; Forstner, C.; Ramharter, M.; Széll, M.; Schötta, A.M.; Stanek, G.; Markowicz, M. Molecular diagnosis of African tick bite fever using eschar swabs in a traveller returning from Tanzania. Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. 2016, 128, 602–605, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-016-1047-0.
  33. Reiter, M.; Schötta, A.-M.M.; Müller, A.; Stockinger, H.; Stanek, G. A newly established real-time PCR for detection of Borrelia miyamotoi in Ixodes ricinus ticks. Ticks Tick. Borne. Dis. 2015, 6, 303–308, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.02.002.
  34. Markowicz, M.; Ladstätter, S.; Schötta, A.M.; Reiter, M.; Pomberger, G.; Stanek, G. Oligoarthritis caused by borrelia bavariensis, Austria, 2014. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2015, 21, 1052–1054, https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2106.141516.