The prevalence of piroplasms in a population of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) from north-western Poland.

Developmental forms of Babesia spp. were studied in isolated salivary glands of Ixodes ricinus, subjected to the Feulgen reaction. The same ticks were also hosts to Babesia microti, which was determined by PCR amplification with primers specific to the fragment of a gene encoding the nuclear small sub-unit ribosomal RNA (SS-rDNA). Presence of Babesia spp. was recorded in the salivary glands of 59.9% of ticks collected, both in nymphs and adults. PCR reactions specific to Babesia microti were positive in 1.9% of nymphs.