Researchers had feared already: After the first winter in Germany, the so-called Hyalomma should have transferred-tick for the first time, the ticks-spotted fever. A horse-holder ill.
For the first time, to have contracted the disease in Germany, a man by the sting of a tropical giant tick of spotted fever. In the tick of the concerned pathogens has been demonstrated, said the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart on Wednesday. A horse owner from the area of Siegen (North Rhine-Westphalia) had sent a Hyalomma tick at the end of July after a sting of the tick, researchers in Hohenheim. A few days later, he came with severe disease symptoms and suspicion of tick-typhus in the hospital. He was successfully treated with antibiotics.
Typhus fever in Germany very rare
"So we know now not only ensure that the Hyalomma tick people sticht", Ute Mackenstedt, Parasitology login at the University of Hohenheim said. It was clear also that, in Germany, a Transmission of tick Typhus by the animals is actually possible. Doctors should in future be an infection as a possible cause into consideration, and accordingly on the alert to draw, she said.
The bacterium Rickettsia aeschlimannii is causing a fever, infection with head and muscle pain, extreme joint pain and a feeling as if it would burn. Typical of the disease the rash of the spotted fever the name is. According to the Robert Koch-Institute spotted fever in Germany is a rarely occurring disease. In the past few years, there have been only isolated cases, all had been imported from abroad.
Number of giant ticks continues to rise
The number of found Hyalomma-increased ticks in Germany in the past few months, and in comparison to the previous year. "In 2019, we have found up to now 50 copies in Germany. Last year there were a total of 35", Mackenstedt said. Of the 2019 found copies of each of the second is according to the Mackenstedt almost the typhus-causing organisms. For the first time tick after the evaluation of the experts in this year Hyalomma-in Germany the winter.
The case of the horse holder from the Sauerland region is not treated as a suspected case, because a direct detection of the pathogen on the patient was, according to the experts. "The treatment of the patient just in the first Stelle", Gerhard Dobler, doctors said at the Institute for Microbiology of the Bundeswehr in Munich. "However, the immediately preceding tick bite, typical symptoms, and especially the detection of the pathogen in the tick to leave no other conclusion, than that it was in the case of tick typhus."
So you recognize the Hyalomma tick
The Hyalomma ticks are from the arid and semi – arid areas of Africa, Asia and southern Europe – from Spain to Italy to Turkey. Of the local ticks, such as the Common wood tick, one can distinguish them easily: they are up to two inches in length, much larger and have a striking striped legs. So far, Hyalomma were transported ticks with migratory birds to Germany, where you can spread out to the view of the scientists in this year.
The Hyalomma ticks can also transmit dangerous pathogens, including the Virus that causes the Crimean Congo fever, which may be associated with severe bleeding. In the past year, a total of 18 specimens from eight Federal States (Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, Brandenburg, Berlin and Schleswig-Holstein) were returned and analysed, a further 17 ticks were on the basis of images clearly identified as Hyalomma ticks have been seen. None of the tested ticks carried the causative agent of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever in itself.
Attack of the tick, according to experts noticeable
More dominant is the so-called wood Bock to stay, in any case, as a native tick species, said Mackenstedt. The transmitted pathogens can cause Lyme disease and TBE (tick-borne encephalitis). During the normal ticks are not the views easy to as soon as she claws at the human body, feels the tick of the man the attack of the Hyalomma, says expert Mackenstedt: "It is much larger. The notice you when running on them."