Climate change is quite favorable for ticks: ticks can be seen penetrating almost all altitudes and previously colder areas in Austria, said parasitologist Anja Joachim. The expert does not dare to say that there are necessarily more ticks: “We cannot register how many ticks there are.”
On Thursday evening, experts discussed ticks and zoonoses during an online event at the University of Veterinary Medicine (Vetmed) Vienna.
Predictions are hardly possible
Predictions about the occurrence of ticks over the course of a year are hardly possible: “My impression is that we have had a lot of ticks at certain times this year,” says Joachim, head of the Institute of Parasitology at Vetmed, cautiously.
However, the spring weather also developed “somewhat erratically”, but with the subsequent warmer temperatures there were probably many ticks, but not in the middle of summer and during the heat periods.
Soil moisture indicates a high incidence of ticks
The current weather with the associated soil moisture speaks for itself that they occur: ‘I think we can expect ticks again.’ But we don’t know more details.
Assessing the presence of ticks is also difficult because ticks develop much more slowly – compared to, for example, mosquitoes; The generation time of the species found in Austria is at least two years, sometimes three to four. In addition, they sometimes have long periods of inactivity.
“Within a year there will be no increase in the tick population,” says the expert. Documentation of tick-borne diseases (zoonoses) such as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) or Lyme disease is good, and reporting requirements also apply in veterinary medicine. But large fluctuations make it difficult to see whether there are shifts in the diseases transmitted.
Do not neglect protection against ticks
When dealing with ticks and their uncertain development, the expert recommends not to neglect tick protection: “We have limited options when it comes to protecting people from ticks, but we must use all possible means. “You should not skip the TBE vaccination,” even though some people may be tired of the vaccinations. The expert advises dog owners not to forget about vaccination protection for their dogs all year round.
Source: Krone
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