African ticks have arrived in Poland. For the first time, a dangerous pathogen was detected in them
African ticks coming to Poland have raised concerns among experts. As part of the “National Tick Collection”, scientists took a closer look at these creatures.
The “National Tick Collection” project is intended to help our scientists in the fight against ticks and the diseases they transmit. Researchers encourage us to look carefully for ticks while walking – both on our own bodies and on our pets. Found individuals should be sent for research, which is of great importance.
“National tick collection”. A unique project of scientists
The material sent in this way is handled by the Department of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw. The organizers of the campaign emphasize that help from citizens is invaluable. “Knowledge about the presence of Hyalomma ticks will allow us to prevent diseases transmitted by these ticks,” they emphasized.
The project examines the scale of the presence of exotic ticks in our country and the pathogens they transmit. So far, 253 cases of common ticks, 212 meadow ticks and 12 Hyalomma ticks have been reported. The latter are of most interest to scientists. They have already been found, for example, in Greater Poland and Silesia. We managed to secure 4 such arachnids for research.
– The results of tests on ticks sent to our laboratory showed that all four specimens contained the rickettsial bacteria R. aeschlimannii – said PhD student Wiktoria Romanek in an interview with PAP. – This species of bacteria is closely related to ticks of the Hyalomma genus, so it is a new pathogen, recorded for the first time in our country – she added.
Dangerous ticks in Poland
Pathogens transmitted by Hyalomma ticks can cause spotted fever rickettsiosis in humans. The symptoms of such an illness include high fever, severe weakness, muscle pain and a characteristic skin lesion at the site of the sting. Fortunately, the very dangerous Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus has not yet been detected in ticks present in Poland.
African Hyalomma ticks can be recognized by the fact that they are very large and run fast. They can track their prey for several hundred meters and pose a threat to humans. The dry and warm spring observed in Poland this year is ideal for them in terms of conditions for survival and development.
Exotic ticks arrive in Poland and Europe in the form of larvae, carried during spring bird migrations. They usually die at low temperatures and due to humidity. Apart from our country, they also like Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and even Sweden.
“Hyalomma ticks may pose a very serious threat to human health because they transmit the dangerous virus of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHFV). The mortality rate of people infected with the virus is high (10-60 percent) and treatment is unavailable,” warn experts on the website nationalkleszczobranie.pl.
