The Potential Role of Migratory Birds in the Rapid Spread of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in the Changing Climatic and Environmental Conditions in Europe.

Alicja M Buczek,Katarzyna Bartosik,Weronika Buczek,Alicja Buczek

doi:10.3390/ijerph17062117

Alicja M Buczek, Katarzyna Bartosik + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17062117

Copy DOI

Abstract

This opinion piece highlights the role of migratory birds in the spread of ticks and their role in the circulation and dissemination of pathogens in Europe. Birds with different lifestyles, i.e., non-migrants residing in a specific area, or short-, medium-, and long-distance migrants, migrating within one or several distant geographical regions are carriers of a number of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. During seasonal migrations, birds that cover long distances over a short time and stay temporarily in different habitats can introduce tick and pathogen species in areas where they have never occurred. An increase in the geographical range of ticks as well as the global climate changes affecting the pathogens, vectors, and their hosts increase the incidence and the spread of emerging tick-borne diseases worldwide. Tick infestations of birds varied between regions depends on the rhythms of tick seasonal activity and the bird migration rhythms determined by for example, climatic and environmental factors. In areas north of latitude ca. 58°N, immature Ixodes ricinus ticks are collected from birds most frequently, whereas ticks from the Hyalomma marginatum group dominate in areas below 42°N. We concluded that the prognosis of hazards posed by tick-borne pathogens should take into account changes in the migration of birds, hosts of many epidemiologically important tick species.

Highlights

Ixodid tick species in Europe represent five genera: Ixodes, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus, some of which have great veterinary and medical importance [1]
We found labelled unengorged adult D. reticulatus ticks at a distance of 2 to 3 km away from the site where they were released
Birds migrating to the north and captured on the Baltic Sea coast were parasitized by the highest number of I. ricinus specimens (169 larvae and 260 nymphs) and Ixodes arboricola (112 larvae, 21 nymphs, 1 female), but less frequently by other ticks, i.e., I. frontalis (1 larva and 14 nymphs) and

Summary

Introduction

Ixodid tick species in Europe represent five genera: Ixodes, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus, some of which have great veterinary and medical importance [1]. We analyse the role of passerine birds in the transmission of ticks and pathogens in Europe and highlight the impact of anthropogenic factors on birds’ migratory behaviour and the prevalence of tick-borne zoonoses that are especially important for public health The relevance of this issue is supported by predictions of further expansion of the area of tick occurrence and an increase in the population size of these arthropods in different parts of the world [29,30,31,32,33]. This may result in an increase in the number of tick infestations of hosts, including birds, and expansion of the areas of prevalence of tick-borne diseases

Tick Species Most Frequently Infesting Migratory Birds in Europe

Occurrence of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks Infesting Birds in Europe

Prevalence of of Borrelia inbirds birdsinfested infested

ImpactInofaddition

Findings

Conclusions