Frątczak, M., Vargová, B., Tryjanowski, P., Majláth, I., Jerzak, L., Kurimský, J., Cimbala, R., Jankowiak, Conka, Z., Majláthová, V. Infected Ixodes ricinus ticks are attracted by electromagnetic radiation of 900 MHz (2020) Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 11 (4), art. no. 101416, .

Pipiková, J., Papajová, I., Majláthová, V., Šoltys, J., Bystrianska, J., Schusterová, I., Vargová, V. First report on Giardia duodenalis assemblage F in Slovakian children living in poor environmental conditions (2020) Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, 53 (1), pp. 148-156.

Bystrianska J., Papajová I., Šmiga Ľ., Šoltys J., Majláthová V., Majláth I., Gomboš F., Kleban J. First report on parasites of European beavers in the Slovak Republic (2021) Parasitology Research, 120 (1), pp. 355 – 358.

Vargová B., Majláth I., Kurimský J., Cimbala R., Zbojovský J., Tryjanowski P., Majláthová V. Locomotor Activity of Ixodes ricinus Females in 900 MHz Electromagnetic Field. (2022) Life, 12 (6), art. no. 884

Skičková Š., Kratou M., Svobodová K., Maitre A., Abuin-Denis L., Wu-Chuang A., Obregón D., Said M.B., Majláthová, V., Krejčí A., Cabezas-Cruz A.Functional redundancy and niche specialization in honeybee and Varroa microbiomes (2025) International Microbiology, 28 (4), art. no. 718082, pp. 795 – 810.

VEGA 2/0113/18 Eco-epidemiology of Borrelia miyamotoi in Slovakia

Ticks and the pathogens they transmit represent an increasing health concern for humans and animals worldwide. The identification of infectious agents, their vectors, and reservoir hosts is a fundamental step toward understanding vector-borne diseases. Disease transmission is a complex process and differs among various tick-borne pathogens. Reservoir hosts must be capable of acquiring, maintaining, and subsequently transmitting a pathogen; however, many animal species do not possess this ability. Borrelia miyamotoi, belonging to the relapsing fever group of borreliae, is transmitted by the same tick species that carry spirochetes responsible for Lyme borreliosis. Since B. miyamotoi has only recently been described, substantial information regarding its circulation in natural foci and its reservoir hosts remains lacking. The proposed project aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the eco-epidemiology of this pathogenic microorganism in Slovakia.

APVV-17-0372 EMITICK Radiofrequency interface in biology and ecology of ixodid ticks

Exposure to electromagnetic radiation in the environment has increased substantially over recent decades due to growing societal demands for advanced electronic devices, technologies, and services. Humans and animals are continuously exposed to a complex spectrum of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of varying frequencies and intensities. Significant effects of EMFs have been demonstrated in numerous living organisms, ranging from invertebrates and vertebrates to bacteria. Epidemiological studies have provided evidence of increased risks associated with EMF exposure, including behavioral changes and adverse effects on various cell types and whole organisms. The project aims to generate new knowledge on the interactions between electromagnetic radiation and ticks, the effects of anthropogenic physical radiation on ecological and ethological characteristics, and parasite–host interactions. In relation to tick-borne pathogens, the project will assess the extent to which responses to electromagnetic fields are altered and will characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of electromagnetic radiation around artificial radiation sources. Furthermore, it will investigate whether EMFs contribute to the patchy distribution of ticks in natural environments.

APVV-23-0320 The Tick Dermacentor reticulatus and Slovakia: Spatiotemporal Changes at the Beginning of the Millennium and Their Ecological and Epidemiological Implications

This project focuses on investigating the influence of soil water regimes on one of the most important and rapidly expanding tick species in Central Europe, the ornate dog tick (Dermacentor reticulatus), in Slovakia. A distinctive feature of this species is its patchy distribution across lowland and hilly regions, particularly in areas associated with river systems. The main objective is to analyze the relationship between the occurrence and population density of D. reticulatus on vegetation, or its absence, in relation to four hydrological soil types mapped in Slovakia at the end of the twentieth century: fully saturated, semi-saturated, semi-dry, and dry soils. Existing records indicate a preference for semi-saturated soils, where moisture is retained in deeper soil layers (30 cm to 1 m) even during summer. Such conditions are crucial for the development of the tick’s highly vulnerable larval and nymphal stages within the burrows of small mammalian hosts, where they are susceptible to both drought and flooding. Adult ticks, in contrast, exhibit high resilience to environmental stressors and can survive prolonged flooding, frost, and drought. Despite the relatively extensive occurrence of semi-saturated soils in southwestern Slovakia, several areas remain without confirmed records of D. reticulatus. Therefore, the project will examine how climatic conditions and soil hydrology have changed over the first two decades of the millennium in order to predict the potential future distribution of this important tick species and the associated epidemiological risks. The project will employ modern methods for pathogen detection and identification of developmental-stage hosts through residual mitochondrial DNA analysis following metamorphosis. An innovative aspect of the project is the analysis of correlations between D. reticulatus occurrence and soil hydrology to estimate and map its potential distribution.

VEGA 1/0762/25 Identification and Prediction of Epidemiological and Epizootiological Risks Based on Analyses of Tick-Associated Bacterial Communities and a Broad Spectrum of Hosts from Urban and Natural Landscapes

The project is based on ecological-epidemiological approaches combined with advanced molecular methods. It focuses on the characterization of tick-borne pathogens in natural foci throughout Slovakia. The topic is closely aligned with the objectives of the COST Action CA21170, “Prevention, Anticipation and Mitigation of Tick-Borne Disease Risk,” which addresses these issues in a broader European context. The project aims to obtain comprehensive information on bacterial communities as a component of the microbiome of epidemiologically important tick species in Slovakia across different landscape types (urban and natural) and ecological interactions. These bacterial communities will be compared with those present in the blood of vertebrate hosts, and the risks of pathogen transmission and disease emergence in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife will be assessed. Based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analyses, potentially pathogenic microorganisms of both epidemiological and epizootiological significance will be identified and selected for further investigation.

APVV-19-0440 EMNEGPAT Emerging zoonotic pathogens transmitted by neglected arthropod species in Slovakia

Vector-borne pathogens have historically caused major public health problems, often resulting in devastating epidemics that significantly reduced human populations. While some of these pathogens have been eliminated from Europe, others continue to pose substantial challenges and remain far from being under control. Climate change has contributed to shifts in the distribution of vectors and pathogens during recent decades. The concept of “neglected diseases,” introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO), originally referred to zoonotic diseases and has since been extended to include selected groups of vector-borne pathogens. The strategy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding public health and climate change emphasizes long-term monitoring of vectors, hosts, and pathogens; recording disease cases in humans, domestic animals, and wildlife; conducting experiments to determine the effects of climate change; and integrating epidemiological and experimental findings.

A wide range of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens also circulate in Slovakia, many of which remain poorly studied. Their maintenance in natural foci involves reptiles, birds, and mammals and is influenced by factors such as genetic variability, host abundance, and co-occurrence of multiple pathogens. Responding to the WHO challenge, this project aims to identify and characterize emerging viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens with zoonotic potential that are transmitted by lesser-known (“neglected”) tick species and other arthropods and maintained in their hosts within natural foci under Slovak climatic conditions. The study encompasses four altitudinal vegetation zones (lowland, hilly, submontane, and montane) across forest, agricultural, and urban landscapes where target vectors and hosts (reptiles, birds, and mammals) are expected to occur. Comparable one-time studies will also be conducted in selected model habitats in the Baltic region and the Balkans to assess the potential for invasion and spread of novel pathogens and vectors into Slovakia.