African ticks of the Hyalomma genus are getting closer to Poland. Their presence has already been noted in Germany. Scientists warn about them - African ticks can transmit dangerous - exotic for us - diseases, Check what African ticks look like and what can threaten us after being bitten by an African tick.
African ticksof the Hyalomma genus are arachnids that are terrifying not only because of their size (they are several times larger than the ticks found in our climate zone). African ticks can transmit many dangerous diseases, including those with complications such as poor kidney function or hepatitis.
African ticks - where do they occur?
African ticks inhabit North Africa, West Asia and southern Europe (they live mainly in steppes, savannas and bushes), but with migratory birds they are sometimes dragged further north and south.
These ticks regularly fall outside their natural range. In 2007, one adult horse was found feeding on a horse in the Netherlands. In 2012, in Hungary, two males were found who chose cows as hosts, and in December 2015, in Germany (Rhineland-Palatinate), one male was found parasitizing on a horse.
In 2022, African ticks again reached Germany. According to the German website Deutsche Welle², specialists from the University of Hohenheim and the Institute of Microbiology of the German Federal Armed Forces in Munich registered a total of seven Hyalomma specimens this year - in Lower Saxony and Hesse.
African ticks found in 2022 belong to the species Hyalomma marginatum (migratory tick) and Hyalomma rufipes² (it is the most widespread Hyalomma species in Africa) ¹. All ticks were found on farm animals, mainly horses (adults feed on large mammals, especially ungulates - cattle, goats, sheep and horses) ¹.
Experts believe that the ticks arrived in Germany in an immature form (larvae, nymphs) ². Due to the mild weather conditions, they had enough time to develop into adults. Only then did they attack.
However, Hyalomma ticks can get throughone continent to another also with imported farm animals and even with humans. The only such case was recorded in 2015 - a male of the H. truncatum tick entered the United States together with a photographer returning from an expedition to Ethiopia¹.
Scientists are afraid that ticks may settle permanently in our part of Europe. Climate warming is to blame for everything, and hence - dry and hot summer.
African ticks - what do they look like?
Hyalomma ticks reach up to 5 cm in length and over 3 cm in width, therefore they are much larger than the well-known ticks. They can be recognized not only by their large size, but also by their spread out, ribbed legs - they have ivory stripes. These ticks range in color from reddish brown to almost black.
The juvenile stages are active from June to October, with a peak in July-August, and their foraging period lasts 2-3 weeks.
African ticks - what diseases can they transmit?
Hyalomma ticks can transmit viruses and bacteria that can make humans sick, such as¹
- Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever
- spotted fever
- anaplasmosis
Some authors speculate that a bite by a Hyalomma tick may lead to facial paralysis .¹
It is also known that these ticks can transmit ritexia ( Rickettsia aeschlimannii, Rickettsia conorii ) and pathogenBabesia occultans , which belongs to this of the same family as patorgenBabesia microti , causing babesiosis in humans.
- PIGEON RIMS (pigeon ticks, bird ticks) - bite symptoms and combating
- TICKS - which are the most dangerous? Where are they?
- TICKS - how to defend against them?
African forceps
Source: Youtube.com/Shrikant Kelkar
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Monika Majewska Journalist specializing in the subjecthe alth, in particular in the areas of medicine, he alth and he althy eating. Author of news, guides, interviews with experts and reports. Participant of the largest Polish National Medical Conference "Polish woman in Europe", organized by the "Journalists for He alth" Association, as well as specialist workshops and seminars for journalists organized by the Association.
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