Molecular detection of Vector-Borne Pathogens in Lithuania

Abstract

Vector-borne diseases constitute a major health problem in many parts of the world. In the past three decades, many vector-borne pathogens have emerged, creating new challenges for public and animal health in Europe. With the progress in molecular diagnosis, new species, strains, and genetic variants of microorganisms are being detected in ticks and other vectors worldwide. The Baltic countries are an endemic area for a number of tick-borne diseases. The advances in molecular biology during the last two decades and using of molecular diagnostic techniques have allowed researchers to better diagnose, trace and genetically characterize the causative agents of important zoonotic tick-borne diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and have led to the discovery of new emerging vector-borne pathogenic organisms in Lithuania.