Imported Hyalomma Ticks in the Netherlands 2018-2020

Overview

Journal Parasit Vectors

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Parasitology
Tropical Medicine

Date 2021 May 8

PMID 33962655

Citations 16

Authors

Mathilde Uiterwijk

Adolfo Ibanez-Justicia

Bart van de Vossenberg

Frans Jacobs

Paul Overgaauw

Rolf Nijsse

Charlotte Dabekaussen

Arjan Stroo

Hein Sprong

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Ticks of the genus Hyalomma, which are vectors for several tick-borne diseases, are occasionally found in areas outside their endemic range including northern parts of Europe. The objective of this study was to analyse adult Hyalomma ticks that were recently found in the Netherlands.

Methods: Hyalomma ticks were morphologically identified. Cluster analysis, based upon sequence data (cox1 barcoding) for molecular identification, and pathogen detection were performed. Additionally, a cross-sectional survey of horses was conducted to actively search for Hyalomma ticks in summer 2019. Analysis of temperature was done to assess the possibility of (i) introduced engorged nymphs moulting to adults and (ii) establishment of populations in the Netherlands.

Results: Seventeen adult Hyalomma ticks (one in 2018, eleven in 2019, five in 2020) were found by citizens and reported. Fifteen ticks were detected on horses and two on humans. Twelve were identified as H. marginatum, one as H. rufipes and four, of which only photographic images were available, as Hyalomma sp. No Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus or Babesia/Theileria parasites were detected. One adult tick tested positive for Rickettsia aeschlimannii. In the cross-sectional horse survey, no Hyalomma ticks were found. Analysis of temperatures showed that engorged nymphs arriving on migratory birds in spring were able to moult to adults in 2019 and 2020, and that cumulative daily temperatures in the Netherlands were lower than in areas with established H. marginatum populations.

Conclusions: Our results show that Hyalomma ticks are regularly introduced in the Netherlands as nymphs. Under the Dutch weather conditions, these nymphs are able to develop to the adult stage, which can be sighted by vigilant citizens. Only one human pathogen, Rickettsia aeschlimannii, was found in one of the ticks. The risk of introduction of tick-borne diseases via Hyalomma ticks on migratory birds is considered to be low. Establishment of permanent Hyalomma populations is considered unlikely under the current Dutch climatic conditions.

Citing Articles

Investigation of and in Pakistan, with notes on the detection of tickborne Rickettsiales.

Ullah Z, Liaqat I, Khan M, Alouffi A, Almutairi M, Apanaskevich D Front Vet Sci. 2025; 11:1500930.

PMID: 39764368 PMC: 11701845. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1500930.

Zoonotic Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks from Vegetation and Alpine Ibex () in the Maritime Alps, Italy.

Menzano A, Tizzani P, Farber M, Garcia-Vozmediano A, Martinelli L, Rossi L Animals (Basel). 2024; 14(15).

PMID: 39123777 PMC: 11311104. DOI: 10.3390/ani14152251.

Transboundary determinants of avian zoonotic infectious diseases: challenges for strengthening research capacity and connecting surveillance networks.

Fair J, Al-Hmoud N, Alrwashdeh M, Bartlow A, Balkhamishvili S, Daraselia I Front Microbiol. 2024; 15:1341842.

PMID: 38435695 PMC: 10907996. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1341842.

Bidirectional tick transport by migratory birds of the African-Western Palearctic flyway over Turkish Thrace: observation of the current situation and future projection.

Bacak E, Ozsemir A, Akyildiz G, Gungor U, Bente D, Keles A Parasitol Res. 2023; 123(1):37.

PMID: 38087074 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08069-x.

Impact of climate change on vector- and rodent-borne infectious diseases.

Beermann S, Dobler G, Faber M, Frank C, Habedank B, Hagedorn P J Health Monit. 2023; 8(Suppl 3):33-61.

PMID: 37342429 PMC: 10278376. DOI: 10.25646/11401.

References

Gargili A, Thangamani S, Bente D . Influence of laboratory animal hosts on the life cycle of Hyalomma marginatum and implications for an in vivo transmission model for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2013; 3:39. PMC: 3747357. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00039. View

Vial L, Stachurski F, Leblond A, Huber K, Vourch G, Rene-Martellet M . Strong evidence for the presence of the tick Hyalomma marginatum Koch, 1844 in southern continental France. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2016; 7(6):1162-1167. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.08.002. View

HOOGSTRAAL H, KAISER M, TRAYLOR M, Gaber S, GUINDY E . Ticks (Ixodoidea) on birds migrating from Africa to Europe and Asia. Bull World Health Organ. 1961; 24:197-212. PMC: 2555510. View

Capek M, Literak I, Kocianova E, Sychra O, Najer T, Trnka A . Ticks of the Hyalomma marginatum complex transported by migratory birds into Central Europe. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2014; 5(5):489-93. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2014.03.002. View

Mancuso E, Toma L, Polci A, dAlessio S, Di Luca M, Orsini M . Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Genome in Tick from Migratory Bird, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019; 25(7):1418-1420. PMC: 6590740. DOI: 10.3201/eid2507.181345. View

England M, Phipps P, Medlock J, Atkinson P, Atkinson B, Hewson R . Hyalomma ticks on northward migrating birds in southern Spain: Implications for the risk of entry of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus to Great Britain. J Vector Ecol. 2016; 41(1):128-34. DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12204. View

Jameson L, Morgan P, Medlock J, Watola G, Vaux A . Importation of Hyalomma marginatum, vector of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, into the United Kingdom by migratory birds. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2012; 3(2):95-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2011.12.002. View

Hasle G, Bjune G, Edvardsen E, Jakobsen C, Linnehol B, Roer J . Transport of ticks by migratory passerine birds to Norway. J Parasitol. 2009; 95(6):1342-51. DOI: 10.1645/GE-2146.1. View

Battisti E, Urach K, Hodzic A, Fusani L, Hufnagl P, Felsberger G . Zoonotic Pathogens in Ticks from Migratory Birds, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020; 26(12):2986-2988. PMC: 7706978. DOI: 10.3201/eid2612.181686. View

10.

Heylen D, Fonville M, Docters van Leeuwen A, Stroo A, Duisterwinkel M, van Wieren S . Pathogen communities of songbird-derived ticks in Europe's low countries. Parasit Vectors. 2017; 10(1):497. PMC: 5648423. DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2423-y. View

11.

Chitimia-Dobler L, Nava S, Bestehorn M, Dobler G, Wolfel S . First detection of Hyalomma rufipes in Germany. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2016; 7(6):1135-1138. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.08.008. View

12.

Chitimia-Dobler L, Schaper S, Riess R, Bitterwolf K, Frangoulidis D, Bestehorn M . Imported Hyalomma ticks in Germany in 2018. Parasit Vectors. 2019; 12(1):134. PMC: 6434826. DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3380-4. View

13.

Hansford K, Carter D, Gillingham E, Hernandez-Triana L, Chamberlain J, Cull B . Hyalomma rufipes on an untraveled horse: Is this the first evidence of Hyalomma nymphs successfully moulting in the United Kingdom?. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2019; 10(3):704-708. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.03.003. View

14.

Rumer L, Graser E, Hillebrand T, Talaska T, Dautel H, Mediannikov O . Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Hyalomma marginatum ticks, Germany. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011; 17(2):325-6. PMC: 3204748. DOI: 10.3201/eid1702.100308. View

15.

Grandi G, Chitimia-Dobler L, Choklikitumnuey P, Strube C, Springer A, Albihn A . First records of adult Hyalomma marginatum and H. rufipes ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Sweden. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2020; 11(3):101403. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101403. View

16.

McGinley L, Hansford K, Cull B, Gillingham E, Carter D, Chamberlain J . First report of human exposure to Hyalomma marginatum in England: Further evidence of a Hyalomma moulting event in north-western Europe?. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2020; 12(1):101541. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101541. View

17.

Nijhof A, Bodaan C, Postigo M, Nieuwenhuijs H, Opsteegh M, Franssen L . Ticks and associated pathogens collected from domestic animals in the Netherlands. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2007; 7(4):585-95. DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2007.0130. View

18.

Estrada-Pena A, Pfaffle M, Baneth G, Kleinerman G, Petney T . Ixodoidea of the Western Palaearctic: A review of available literature for identification of species. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2017; 8(4):512-525. DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.02.013. View

19.

Spengler J, Estrada-Pena A . Host preferences support the prominent role of Hyalomma ticks in the ecology of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018; 12(2):e0006248. PMC: 5821391. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006248. View

20.

Estrada-Pena A, de la Fuente J . The ecology of ticks and epidemiology of tick-borne viral diseases. Antiviral Res. 2014; 108:104-28. DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2014.05.016. View