Preliminary investigation on tick fauna in the neighborhood of Tarquinia, Lazio, Italy.

INTRODUCTION This study represents a preliminary inquiry on tick fauna composition carried out in Maremma, Central Italy, where very few data are available. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study area was selected in the limestone hills surrounding Tarquinia town, on the base of suitable elements directly affecting the tick occurrence and the possible circulation of tick-borne pathogens, such as wild cattle rearing, kind of vegetation and human activities. Since a proper understanding of tick ecology is critical in predicting the risk of tick-borne pathogen transmission in a given area, a series of surveys was planned in such area in 2011. RESULTS One hundred fifty-four ticks belonging to 4 genera and 6 species, namely Ixodes ricinus (n. = 109; 70%), Rhipicephalus bursa (n. = 18; 12%), Rhipicephalus turanicus (n. = 14; 9%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (n. = 6; 4%), Hyalomma marginatum (n. = 4; 3%) and Dermacentor marginatus (n. = 3; 2%) were identified and reported for the area. DISCUSSION The results of this acarological research represent a significant contribution to the knowledge of the tick fauna of rural areas in Northern Lazio Region, as first step toward a future molecular investigation on pathogen circulation.