Summary
Among the various species of hard ticks, Ixodes ricinus is the most frequently found tick throughout Europe. As with other ixodid ticks, the developmental cycle runs through three stages. In each stage a blood meal is required in order to develop to the next stage. Ixodes ricinus has been found to feed on more than 300 different vertebrate species. Usually, larval ticks feed on small mammals such as mice and become infected with various microorganisms and viruses, of which some are substantial pathogens to humans. The pathogens remain in the tick during molting and are thus transstadially transmitted to the next developmental stage. Pathogens transmitted to humans are the agents of Lyme borreliosis, the tick-borne encephalitis virus, Rickettsia species, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, occasionally Francisella tularensis, and protozoal Babesia species. Within the scope of an EU project Ixodes ricinus ticks from all federal states of Austria were searched by means of PCR methods for bacterial pathogens such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia spp., Francisella tularensis, Rickettsia spp., and protozoal Babesia. Additionally, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in this tick species was also determined. Besides the singular detection of Coxiella burnetii and Francisella tularensis in one tick collection site the overall prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, borreliae, rickettsae and babesiae in Ixodes ricinus amounted to 15%, 14%, 6% and surprising 36% and 51%, respectively. Bartonellae were detected in about 7%.
Zusammenfassung
Zecken gehören weltweit zu den wichtigsten Überträgern von Krankheitserregern des Menschen. Zecken werden zwei Familien zugeordnet, den Schildzecken und den Lederzecken. Während manche Lederzecken Vektoren für Rückfallfieber-Borrelien in relativ trockenen Klimaten sind, übertragen Schildzecken eine Fülle von Krankheitserregern im gemäßigten Klima der nördlichen Hemisphäre. Unter den Schildzecken Europas ist Ixodes ricinus am weitesten verbreitet und bei weitem die häufigste Zeckenart auf unserem Kontinent. Die dreiwirtige Zecke benötigt in jedem Entwicklungsstadium nur eine Blutmahlzeit. Ixodes ricinus hat ein sehr weites Wirtsspektrum; mehr als 300 verschiedene Wirbeltierarten dienen als Blutwirte. Gewöhnlich befallen die Zecken-Larven kleine Säugetiere, wie Mäuse, und nehmen dabei verschiedenste Mikroorganismen und Viren auf, unter denen sich gefährliche Krankheitserreger des Menschen befinden. Nymphen befallen den Menschen sehr häufig. Sie können die Krankheitserreger von Lyme-Borreliose, Früh-Sommer-Meningo-Enzephalitis, Anaplasmose, Rickettsiosen, Hasenpest (Tularämie), Bartonellose und Babesiose auf den Menschen übertragen, wobei die Borrelien am weitaus häufigsten klinische Erkrankungen verursachen. Selten verursachen Babesien eine manifeste Erkrankung des Menschen. In heimischen Ixodes ricinus-Zecken wurde im Rahmen eines EU-Projekts mittels PCR-Methoden nach den bakteriellen Krankheitserregern Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia spp., Francisella tularensis, Rickettsien- und Babesien-Arten gefahndet. Dazu wurde auch die Prävalenz von Bartonella-Arten untersucht. Abgesehen von Einzelfunden von Coxiella burnetii und Francisella tularensis wurden Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelien, Rickettsien, insbesondere Rickettsia helvetica, und Babesien insgesamt in 15%, 14%, 6% und überraschenden 36% beziehungsweise 51% und Bartonellen in etwa 7% nachgewiesen.
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Stanek, G. Büchse der Pandora: Krankheitserreger in Ixodes ricinus-Zecken in Mitteleuropa. Wien Klin Wochenschr 121, 673–683 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-009-1281-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-009-1281-9