Abstract
Ixodes ricinus is the most abundant tick species and an important vector of pathogens in Germany and in large parts of Europe. A few other ixodid tick species, e.g., Dermacentor reticulatus, may also be of eco-epidemiological relevance. As ticks are not only found in natural but also in suburban areas (parks, gardens), the present study investigated whether ticks occur on and near football grounds thus posing a potential risk to players and visitors. Thirty-two football grounds from all 16 German federal states were selected, mainly situated adjacent to a green area (forest, park). Ticks were collected by the conventional flagging method in spring 2018, and nymphs and adults were counted and morphologically determined. Altogether 807 nymphal and adult ticks were collected from 29 football grounds: 714 I. ricinus, 64 Ixodes inopinatus, 2 Ixodes frontalis, 24 Ixodes sp. ticks, and 3 D. reticulatus. Ixodes inopinatus was found in 13 out of 16 German states. Three ticks were even found on the turf of two football fields. It can be concluded that ticks occur quite frequently and sometimes in high abundance near football grounds situated close or adjacent to a forest or a park.
Highlights
Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids with a worldwide distribution that feed on the blood of a wide range of vertebrate hosts from reptilia, small mammals and birds to medium-sized and large wildlife and domestic mammals
In Germany, the most common exophilic ixodid tick species is Ixodes ricinus, which can be found in varying density throughout the country mainly in forests and forest-like habitats with permanent leaf litter (Petney et al 2012)
While Lyme borreliosis is widespread across Germany with up to approximately 30% of questing nymphal and adult I. ricinus carrying B. burgdorferi s.l. (ECDC 2016), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus is geographically unevenly distributed (Robert Koch-Institute 2021)
Summary
Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids with a worldwide distribution that feed on the blood of a wide range of vertebrate hosts from reptilia, small mammals and birds to medium-sized and large wildlife and domestic mammals. Many ixodid tick species are known to transmit viral, bacterial or parasitic pathogens to humans and domestic animals during feeding (Jongejan and Uilenberg 2004). In Germany, the most common exophilic ixodid tick species is Ixodes ricinus, which can be found in varying density throughout the country mainly in forests and forest-like habitats with permanent leaf litter (Petney et al 2012). The causative agents of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and some other agents of medical or veterinary significance Unfed I. ricinus move up on vegetation stems while questing in search of hosts, passing humans are likely to get bitten by ticks. TBE endemic areas are mainly found in the southern parts of Germany, in the federal states Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony, but human TBE cases occur sporadically in the northern half
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