Tick-borne infections in small ruminants in northern Europe

Small ruminants could be infested by ticks of several species, which thereafter infect them with various microorganisms. In Europe, the main tick species associated with small ruminants are Dermacentor marginatus, Haemophysalis punctata and Ixodes ricinus, of which I. ricinus is the dominant species. In the present review, we focus on the following tick-borne pathogens: Anaplasma ovis/mesaterum, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia spp. and Louping-ill virus. Of these, the main tick-borne pathogen affecting small ruminants in northern Europe is A. phagocytophilum