<i>Hyalomma</i> spp. in Austria—The Tick, the Climate, the Diseases and the Risk for Humans and Animals

oleh: Georg Gerhard Duscher, Stefan Kienberger, Klaus Haslinger, Barbara Holzer, Irene Zimpernik, Reinhard Fuchs, Michael Schwarz, Peter Hufnagl, Peter Schiefer, Friedrich Schmoll

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-08-01

Deskripsi

Recently, ticks of <i>Hyalomma</i> spp. have been found more often in areas previously lacking this tick species. Due to their important role as a vector of different diseases, such as Crimean-Congo-hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), the occurrence and potential spread of this tick species is of major concern. So far, eight <i>Hyalomma</i> sp. ticks were found between 2018 and 2021 in Austria. A serological investigation on antibodies against the CCHF virus in 897 cattle as indicator animals displayed no positive case. During observation of climatic factors, especially in the period from April to September, the year 2018 displayed an extraordinary event in terms of higher temperature and dryness. To estimate the risk for humans to come in contact with <i>Hyalomma</i> sp. in Austria, many parameters have to be considered, such as the resting place of birds, availability of large livestock hosts, climate, density of human population, etc.