ARTIFICIAL MEMBRANE FEEDING OF TICKS AS A MODEL FOR STUDYING THE TRANSMISSION OF BABESIA DIVERGENS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37406/2706-9052-2026-2-24Keywords:
Babesia divergens, Ixodid ticks, artificial feeding, membrane feeding system, PCR, parasite transmissionAbstract
Babesiosis is one of the most important tick-borne protozoan diseases affecting animals and humans, and its transmission is closely associated with Ixodid ticks. Investigation of tick–pathogen interactions requires controlled laboratory models capable of reproducing the infection process without the use of vertebrate animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of artificial membrane feeding of Ixodes ricinus for modeling the transmission of Babesia divergens under controlled in vitro conditions. Ticks of the species I. ricinus were collected in natural habitats and maintained in membrane feeding units equipped with silicone membranes. Defibrinated bovine blood was used as the feeding substrate. Two experimental groups were established: a control group receiving only whole blood and an experimental group supplied with blood infected with a B. divergens culture with 10 % parasitemia on days 3 and 7 of feeding. After completion of feeding, ticks were individually analyzed by polymerase chain reaction to detect Babesia spp. DNA. During the experiment, ticks from both groups demonstrated successful attachment to the membrane, stable feeding activity, and complete engorgement within 9–10 days. The mean weight of engorged females was 237 ± 28 mg in the control group and 221 ± 35 mg in the experimental group. Mortality remained low and did not differ significantly between groups. No Babesia spp. DNA was detected in the control group, whereas 35.8 % of females from the experimental group were polymerase chain reaction positive. These results confirmed the effectiveness of the membrane feeding system for transmission of infectious material and reproduction of the early stages of tick–Babesia interaction. The proposed model represents a promising tool for studying tick biology and mechanisms of Babesia transmission and may also be applied for evaluating factors influencing parasite invasion, testing antiparasitic compounds and developing new approaches for the prevention of tick-borne diseases.
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