A tick-borne encephalitis ceiling in Central Europe has moved upwards during the last 30 years: Possible impact of global warming?

Zeman, Petr; Beneš, Č

doi:10.1016/s1433-1128(04)80008-1

Cited by 57 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…In the last decade, the vertical distribution of I. ricinus, including those infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus, has moved towards higher altitudes in central Europe, as reported from the Czech Republic [10][11][12][13].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the tick Ixodes ricinus in the Styrian mountains of Austria

Stünzner

Hubálek

Halouzka

et al. 2006

Wien Klin Wochenschr

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A total of 691 Ixodes ricinus (22 male, 39 female, 501 nymphs and 129 larvae), the tick vector of Lyme borreliosis, were collected by flagging from vegetation in 11 areas at altitudes between 789 m and 1350 m above sea level in mixed woodland with pasture land (cattle) in the province of Styria in Austria. The ticks were individually examined for presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato by dark-field microscopy and 107 of them by real-time PCR. Attempts to cultivate borreliae were made in BSK-H medium. The overall positivity rate of all collected ticks (excepting larvae) was 10.9%: 9.1% in males, 17.9% in females and 10.4% in nymphs. The 129 larvae examined showed no presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. The mean infection rate of I. ricinus collected at the highest altitude in this study, Gaberl at 1350 m a.s.l.--and at the same time the highest one reported in Europe--was 6.4%: 1/9 males, 2/18 females and 6/114 (5.3%) nymphs were positive. Culture attempts were positive in 12 cases and species identification showed eight isolates were B. afzelii and four B. garinii. Three additional positive results found by PCR (negative by culture) were identified twice as B. afzelii and once as B. garinii. This study shows that the risk of acquiring Lyme borreliosis in habitats at higher altitudes is limited, because of the lower density of I. ricinus and its lesser infection rate than at lower altitudes in central Europe, but nevertheless the risk does exist.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the tick Ixodes ricinus in the Styrian mountains of Austria

Stünzner

Hubálek

Halouzka

et al. 2006

Wien Klin Wochenschr

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“…However, it has been suggested that TBE transmission should be negatively affected by a warmer climate, with the hypotheses being that rapid cooling in autumn will allow more larvae and nymphs to feed together in the following spring, and that this is more important for pathogen transmission for TBE than for LB due to shorter viremia (Randolph, 2001). No such relationships have been found at higher latitudes or altitudes (Lindgren & Gustafson, 2001;Randolph, 2001;Zeman & Benes, 2004).…”

Section: Observed Effects Of Recent Climate Variations In Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence and hospitalisation rates of Lyme borreliosis, France, 2004 to 2012

et al. 2014

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“…It is not known to what extent these increases in the UK are due to climate change or other factors such as increases in host populations or, indeed, socio-economic factors inXuencing the number of reported cases in humans (as distinct from pathogen prevalence in ticks). Climate change has been implicated in the expansion of I. ricinus ticks and TBE virus upwards altitudinally in the Czech Republic (Zeman and Benen 2006) and northwards in Sweden (Lindgren et al 2000;Lindgren and Gustafson 2001). However, it may sometimes be diYcult to predict the extent and direction of the impact of climate change on tick-borne diseases due to the complex and dynamic nature of some of the tick-borne pathogen-host systems (Randolph 2001(Randolph , 2009.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Altitudinal patterns of tick and host abundance: a potential role for climate change in regulating tick-borne diseases?

2009

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The impact of climate change on vector-borne infectious diseases is currently controversial. In Europe the primary arthropod vectors of zoonotic diseases are ticks, which transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the agent of Lyme disease), tick-borne encephalitis virus and louping ill virus between humans, livestock and wildlife. Ixodes ricinus ticks and reported tick-borne disease cases are currently increasing in the UK. Theories for this include climate change and increasing host abundance. This study aimed to test how I. ricinus tick abundance might be influenced by climate change in Scotland by using altitudinal gradients as a proxy, while also taking into account the effects of hosts, vegetation and weather effects. It was predicted that tick abundance would be higher at lower altitudes (i.e. warmer climates) and increase with host abundance. Surveys were conducted on nine hills in Scotland, all of open moorland habitat. Tick abundance was positively associated with deer abundance, but even after taking this into account, there was a strong negative association of ticks with altitude. This was probably a real climate effect, with temperature (and humidity, i.e. saturation deficit) most likely playing an important role. It could be inferred that ticks may become more abundant at higher altitudes in response to climate warming. This has potential implications for pathogen prevalence such as louping ill virus if tick numbers increase at elevations where competent transmission hosts (red grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus and mountain hares Lepus timidus) occur in higher numbers.

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A tick-borne encephalitis ceiling in Central Europe has moved upwards during the last 30 years: Possible impact of global warming?

Cited by 57 publications

References 6 publications

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the tick Ixodes ricinus in the Styrian mountains of Austria

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the tick Ixodes ricinus in the Styrian mountains of Austria

Incidence and hospitalisation rates of Lyme borreliosis, France, 2004 to 2012

Altitudinal patterns of tick and host abundance: a potential role for climate change in regulating tick-borne diseases?

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