Diversity of Ectoparasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens in Wild Carnivores: Evidence from Three Regions of Serbia

Wild carnivores can maintain ectoparasites and vector-borne pathogens at wildlife–domestic animal–human interfaces. We characterized ectoparasites and selected vector-associated agents in golden jackals (Canis aureus), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and European wildcats (Felis silvestris) sampled in three regions of Serbia from October 2022 to January 2023. Of 122 animals examined, 77 carried ectoparasites; 68 ticks and 254 fleas were collected. Ticks comprised Ixodes ricinus (n = 37, from which n = 23 on C. aureus, n = 14 on V. vulpes), Dermacentor reticulatus (n = 23, from which n = 12 on C. aureus, n = 11 on V. vulpes), Rhipicephalus spp. (n = 3, from which n = 2 on C. aureus, n = 1 on V.vulpes), and Haemaphysalis punctata (n= 5, from which n = 2 on C. aureus, n = 3 on V.vulpes), whereas fleas comprised Ctenocephalides canis (n = 171, from which n = 97 on C. aureus, n = 64 on V. vulpes, n = 9 on Meles meles, n = 1 on Felis silvestris), C. felis (n = 36, from which n = 14 on C. aureus, n = 12 on V. vulpes, n = 10 on Meles meles), Pulex irritans (n = 25, from which n = 15 on C. aureus, n = 6 on V. vulpes, n = 4 on Meles meles), Ceratophyllus gallinae (n = 21, from which n = 5 on C. aureus, n = 16 on V. vulpes) and Xenopsylla cheopis (n = 1 on C. aureus). Molecular screening detected Hepatozoon canis DNA in six tick samples, Babesia spp. DNA in three tick preparations and Bartonella spp. DNA in 13 flea samples; the remaining bacterial, protozoal and viral targets were not detected. Sanger sequencing yielded sequences assigned to Babesia canis (n = 2), H. canis (n = 4) and Bartonella rochalimae (n = 13). Phylogenetic analyses placed the study sequences with related Eurasian reference lineages. These findings document a diverse ectoparasite fauna and vector-associated pathogen circulation in Serbian wild carnivores and support continued One Health surveillance using paired host-vector sampling.