Improving molecular detection of Tick-borne pathogens in Citizen-Collected Ticks

This study aimed primarily to evaluate the performance of two CE-IVD multiplex real-time PCR assays for the molecular identification of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) of human interest. The comparison was conducted on 116 tick samples collected in 2024 through a citizen science-based approach, involving individuals voluntarily delivering ticks to a hospital in northeastern Italy. Positive results were confirmed and, where applicable, resolved to the species level using validated in-house molecular assays.