African Hyalomma ticks in Poland. They can carry serious diseases

At the end of July, scientists taking part in the “National Tick Collection” campaign received the first shipment containing an African tick of the genus Hyalomma. As reported by Anna Bajer from the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw, the initiator of the campaign, it was collected from a horse from the area Częstochowa.

The campaign started in the spring. Scientists received a total of about 420 reports of these arachnids. Most of them, as they expected, were the common tick, Ixodes ricinusreports of which came in from all over Poland.

– There are interesting reports about the meadow tick, Dermacentor reticulatuswhich has clearly expanded its range compared to our previous studies and is present in southern Poland, where it was not previously present. This will be interesting, new data to analyze – explained Bajer. – We also have several reports of the hedgehog tick Ixodes hexagonusmostly from animals, dogs and cats. Several people sent photos of ticks from their homes and offices – Argas spp. These are soft ticks.

A total of three reports were classified as Hyalomma. One comes from Wronki near Poznanone – from the vicinity of Częstochowa. The latest, third photo of an African tick was sent from the vicinity of Barankowo (Greater Poland Voivodeship).

– I think this is a very good result for the first few months of our citizen science. It confirms the presence Hyalomma in Poland – concluded Bajer.

Ticks Hyalomma interest scientists because they can carry dangerous microorganisms. They are known primarily as vectors of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus and African horse sickness virus. Additionally, these ticks can also carry bacteria – rickettsiae, which cause rickettsiosis.

Hyalomma are large arachnids with long, striped legs. Their body color can range from reddish brown to almost black. They move quickly and actively track potential hosts. They inhabit the Mediterranean climate zone. They like warm and dry places, such as deserts, semi-deserts, steppes, and savannas.

Ticks of this genus are common in Africa, Southeast Asia and Southern Europe. However, their range is expanding. Larvae reach the northern regions of Europe with migrating birds, and warm, dry springs and summers create suitable conditions for their survival and development. In recent years, their presence has been recorded in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Sweden.

About 10 percent of reports in the “National Tick Collection” campaign did not concern ticks: people sent scientists photos of insects and spiders, among other things.

– Among the insects, there are quite often deer ticks – sometimes colloquially called “flying ticks”. These are insects that land on us in the forest, lose their wings and often sneak among the hair. And because they are hard and flattened, they are hard to catch. They are sometimes confused with ticks, but they have six legs like insects, not eight like arachnids – Bajer explained.

Tick ​​monitoring in Poland is ongoing. People who regularly check themselves and their dogs for ticks after walks can help in the search. The captured individuals can be sent for testing to the Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw. “Knowledge of the presence of ticks Hyalomma will prevent diseases transmitted by these ticks,” the organizers declared on the website of the “National Tick Picking” campaign.