Abundance and seasonal activity of questing<i>Ixodes ricinus</i>ticks in their natural habitats in southern Germany in 2011

Schulz, Michaela; Mahling, Monia; Pfister, Kurt

doi:10.1111/j.1948-7134.2014.12070.x

Cited by 70 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Tick bites were most commonly recorded during May to August, with peak tick records received in June. The seasonality of tick bites reported in the current study is consistent with other studies in Europe (Bartosik et al, ; Bennet et al, ; Berglund et al, ; Briciu et al, ; Hügli et al, ; Manfredi et al, ; Robertson et al, ; Stjernberg & Berglund, ; Weisshaar et al, ; Wilhelmsson et al, ), occurring approximately one month after the peak questing activity of I. ricinus in the environment, where activity of adults and nymphs is highest April to June and larval activity peaks May to July (Dobson, Taylor, & Randolph, ; Pérez, Kneubühler, Rais, & Gern, ; Schulz, Mahling, & Pfister, ). The highest number of tick bites occurred during the summer period when people are more likely to spend time outdoors and potentially be exposed to ticks.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Seasonality and anatomical location of human tick bites in the United Kingdom

Cull

Pietzsch

Gillingham

et al. 2019

Zoonoses and Public Health

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Tick bites on humans can occur in a variety of habitats and may result in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens, such as the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. As the risk of transmission of this pathogen to the host increases with the duration of tick feeding, the recognition and removal of ticks as soon as possible following attachment is important for reducing the risk of infection.Performing a thorough body examination for ticks following potential exposure is recommended by tick awareness campaigns. Knowledge of where on the body feeding ticks are frequently found, and at which times of year peak tick exposure occurs, provides important information for public health messaging and may aid those bitten by ticks to engage more effectively with tick-checking behaviour. This paper summarizes human tick bites in the United Kingdom (UK) during 2013-2018 reported to Public Health England's passive Tick Surveillance Scheme and further examines the anatomical location and seasonality of bites from the most commonly encountered tick and LB vector Ixodes ricinus. A total of 1,328 tick records from humans were received of which 93% were I. ricinus. Humans were most commonly bitten by I. ricinus nymphs (70% bites). Tick bites were recorded on all parts of the body, but there were significant differences in their anatomical location on adults and children. Most tick bites on adults occurred on the legs (50%), whereas on children tick bites were mostly on the head and neck (43%). Bites from I. ricinus were recorded throughout the year but were most numerous during May to August. This study adds to the body of research on the seasonality and anatomical location of human tick bites in temperate Europe and highlights the importance of data collected through passive surveillance in addition to research and epidemiological studies. K E Y W O R D S Ixodes ricinus, public health, tick awarenessThis article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. | 113CULL et aL.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Seasonality and anatomical location of human tick bites in the United Kingdom

Cull

Pietzsch

Gillingham

et al. 2019

Zoonoses and Public Health

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“…However, in our study, a low temperature of 3°C or a low humidity of 35% was sufficient for some ticks to quest for hosts. Schulz et al (2014) detected single questing I. ricinus even at 1.1°C ground temperature. Süss et al 2008 determined the optimum for tick activity to be at 85% relative humidity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Research paper on abiotic factors and their influence on Ixodes ricinus activity—observations over a two-year period at several tick collection sites in Germany

et al. 2020

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Tick-borne diseases are a public health issue. To predict vector tick abundance and activity, it is necessary to understand the driving factors for these variables. In this study, the activity of Ixodes ricinus was investigated in forest and meadow habitats in Germany with a focus on abiotic factors. Ixodes ricinus adults, nymphs and larvae were caught by flagging over a period of 2 years. Microclimatic and weather conditions were recorded at the collection sites. Statistical models were applied to describe correlations between abiotic factors and tick activity in univariable and multivariable analyses. Tick activity was observed in a broad range of air temperature between 3 and 28°C, and air humidity varied between 35 and 95%. In general, tick activity of nymphs and larvae was higher in forest habitats than that in meadows. With the exception of a single specimen of Dermacentor reticulatus, all ticks were Ixodes ricinus, most of them nymphs (63.2% in 2009 and 75.2% in 2010). For the latter, a negative binomial mixed-effects model fitted best to the observed parameters. The modelling results showed an activity optimum between 20 and 23°C for air temperature and between 13 and 15°C for ground temperature. In univariable analyses, the collection site, month, season, ground and air temperature were significant factors for the number of ticks caught and for all life stages. In the multivariable analysis, temperature, season and habitat turned out to be key drivers. Ixodes ricinus positive for RNA of tick-borne encephalitis virus was only found at a single sampling site. The results of this study can be used in risk assessments and to parameterise predictive models.

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“…These data correspond with the data obtained in Hungary (Földvári and Farkas ). A bimodal activity pattern was described for I. ricinus in central Europe (Egyed et al ), while in southern Germany, a unimodal activity pattern occured more often (Schulz et al ). During the summer months, adult females and males of I. ricinus were not recorded (Table ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Diversity, ecology, and seasonality of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in eastern Croatia

Krčmar

2019

Journal of Vector Ecology

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The diversity of hard tick fauna was studied in different forest communities in 48 localities of eastern Croatia using the dragging‐flagging method and by hand from ten different vertebrate hosts. A total of 2,225 specimens comprising seven species in three genera were identified. Ixodes ricinus, the most abundant species (72.8% of all collected specimens) was recorded in 44 localities, followed by Dermacentor reticulatus in 19 localities, while the other five species (D. marginatus, H. concinna, H. inermis, I. canisuga, and I. hexagonus) were recorded in fewer localities. The highest ratio (67% of collected ticks) was in the adult stage with the predominance of females. The numbers of collected females, males, and nymphs of I. ricinus and H. concinna differed significantly. Ten new tick‐host associations in Croatia were recorded. Fifty‐three animals were infested with one tick species. Single species infestation with I. ricinus was found in 45.8% of animals, followed by D. reticulatus with 25.4%, D. marginatus with 10.2%, H. inermis and I. hexagonus with 3.4%, and I. canisuga with 1.7%. Coinfestation with two species of ticks were recorded in six animals. Ixodes ricinus, H. inermis, and D. reticulatus showed bimodal seasonal activity; for other species unimodal activity patterns were recorded.

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Abundance and seasonal activity of questingIxodes ricinusticks in their natural habitats in southern Germany in 2011

Cited by 70 publications

References 22 publications

Seasonality and anatomical location of human tick bites in the United Kingdom

Seasonality and anatomical location of human tick bites in the United Kingdom

Research paper on abiotic factors and their influence on Ixodes ricinus activity—observations over a two-year period at several tick collection sites in Germany

Diversity, ecology, and seasonality of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in eastern Croatia

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