Isolation of Babesia microti (Fran?a 1912) from free-living nymphs of Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus 1758) (author's transl)

375 unfed nymphs of Ixodes ricinus were collected in a natural focus of Babesia microti near Hannover and were tested for an infection with B. microti using golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). 2 strains (Hannover II and Hannover III) were isolated. The incidence of infected nymphs in April 1980 demonstrates the ability of B. microti to hibernate in I. ricinus under natural conditions.