Giant tick spreads in northern Italy
Published: Wednesday, May 29th 2024, 10:40
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An immigrant giant tick has settled in the Italian province of Trieste, which is popular with holidaymakers. The species Hyalomma marginatum is now found in considerable numbers in the Trieste Karst, according to the Trieste City Museum of Natural History.
Global warming has shortened the winters in recent years, which has probably enabled Hyalomma populations to settle. The eastern part of the province is particularly affected.
The tick, which is common in parts of Asia and Africa, has striped legs and, at up to two centimetres, is significantly larger than the most common tick species in Switzerland, the common wood tick (Ixodes ricinus). Unlike the latter, it has eyes and actively moves towards its prey - over many meters.
The rocky Trieste Karst provides a favorable environment for the giant tick, as the Trieste Museum explained: "It does not live in tall, damp grasses, but inhabits sunny, open areas with short grasses and stones - typical of the karst landscape.
However, the establishment of Hyalomma in Trieste is not surprising from an Italian perspective: when asked, the health authority Istituto Superiore di Sanità states that Hyalomma marginatum is a species that is already widespread in Italy.
Situation in Switzerland
Hyalomma ticks are also found in Switzerland. They were first described in this country back in 1975 and, as an overview published by the European health authority ECDC last August shows, they are particularly prevalent in Ticino. They have also been introduced in the canton of Zurich.
Hyalomma ticks can transmit diseases such as Crimean-Congo fever. According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), this is a serious viral infectious disease. To date, however, no cases have been reported in Switzerland.
The risk of infection in Switzerland is extremely low, according to the FOPH on its website. Nevertheless, it advises the use of tick repellents and the wearing of high shoes and long clothing to avoid infection.
©Keystone/SDA
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