Locomotor Activity Of Ixodes Ricinus Females In 900 Mhz Electromagnetic Field

Abstract

Mobile telecommunications technologies have become an indispensable part of people´s lives of all ages around the world. They affect personal life and social interactions and are a work tool in the work routine. The requirements for network availability and the quality of the Internet connection are constantly increasing, to which telecommunications providers are responding. Humans and wildlife live in an environment with the permanent presence of electromagnetic radiation with just a minor knowledge on the impact this radiation has. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) on the exploratory behavior of female Ixodes ricinus ticks under laboratory conditions. Experiments were realized in the radiation-shielded tube (RST) test radiation-shielded circular open field arena, altogether 480 female I. ricinus ticks were tested. While in the RST arena we observed only a tendency to move towards the irradiated part of the arena, in the open field arena the time spent in the part exposed to EMF and the trajectory passed was significantly longer.