The Hyalomma tick: threat to Lower Saxony and your health!

The Hyalomma tick: threat to Lower Saxony and your health!

In Lower Saxony forests and pastures, a new threat spreads: the hyalomma tick, an unimportant up to two centimeters tall, causes excitement among scientists and farmers. The first finds of the tick species from Africa and Asia were recorded in the region last year, primarily on horses. With the global warming and the winters that are mildly milder, the hyalomma tick could even permanently conquer the northern realms, although the winter cold is still at bay. This reports the Kreiszeitung .

But what makes the hyalomma tick so dangerous? It is not only harmless, but can also transmit the Crimea Congo fever (CCHF), a virus that can cause serious illnesses with a mortality rate of up to 50 percent. In Spain, several cases have occurred in recent years that even ended fatally. So far, the fear of this virus is still largely unknown. However, Professor Martin Groschup calls for improved monitoring of cases, since many diseases may not be recognized in time. According to mdr , the establishment of the hyalomma tick in Germany depends heavily.

Review of the tick year

The past few years have shown a change in the population of the hyalomma ticks. From 2018 to 2020, the number of these ticks rose due to dry summer, while they declined from 2021 to 2023. The continued drought combined with the warm temperatures, however, favors the survival of the ticks, which is particularly worrying this year, shows Kreiszeitung .

The Hyalomma tick has a remarkable ability to track its prey over a distance of up to 100 meters and to recognize it from distances between 3 and 9 meters. This makes them even more dangerous compared to the domestic wooden stag. But what about the secret spread in Austria? There, too, people are worried that this tick could introduce new diseases, such as stain fever. In rural regions of Türkiye there are already 10% of the population antibodies against the virus, which indicates the danger of this type of tick.

provision and research

Current research results show that in Germany no CCHF viruses were detected in examined hyalomma ticks in Germany until the end of 2021, but over 30% of the animals were infected with Rickettsia Aeschlimannii, a pathogen of the tick stain fever. Vaccines against Crimea Congo fever are in clinical tests, but a market launch is not to be expected in the coming years. The situation remains tense and the population is encouraged to be vigilant, especially in areas where the tick transmission is considered risk.

The development around the Hyalomma tick shows that the health of people and animals depends not only on nature, but also on our own behavior. It is to be hoped that the winters will continue to be cold enough to keep these giants of the ticking world away, while monitoring and prevention are increased against possible disease transfers.