Massive tick with aggressive behavior found in popular vacation spot
There's a new kind of tick on the loose, and it's causing quite a stir in the quaint tourist region of Trieste in northern Italy. This menacing creature is known as the Hyalomma tick, and it boasts striped legs, a big ol' body, and an aggressive hunting instinct. This bad boy isn't just for show - it can transmit harmful diseases to its victims.
Scientists have raised the alarm about this big, bad tick spreading in this popular tourist spot. The Hyalomma species is larger than its European cousins and way more vicious. It may grow up to two whole centimeters long! Unlike other ticks, this sucker doesn't just chill out waiting for its next meal; it actively prowls and chases after its prey. So, it's no wonder this tick is turning up in the northeastern Italian region. They didn't use to live here, but thanks to climate change, these ticks are popping up in warmer and drier climates-like the ones in the mediterranean, Africa, and Asia.
Italy's City Museum of Natural History offered some insight into the tick's newfound presence in their area. In the past, cold winters have left the Hyalomma out in the cold, but rising temperatures have changed that. "These ticks can be easily recognized by their striped legs," the museum's press release noted, "And they've been transported to warmer areas before, but freezing winters previously prevented them from settling in this region."
Germany is in the path of the Hyalomma's potential spread, thanks to climate change. In 2019, the first case of a tick-bite infection was reported in Germany, caused by the transmission of bacterium, Rickettsia aeschlimannii. It's straight out of a horror movie: this bacterium causes a feverish infection along with headaches, muscle and joint pain, and burning feelings. It also comes with a delightful rash.
The Hyalomma tick isn't just a one-trick pony; it can also spread other gnarly diseases. It's been known to pass along the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, which gives its name to the symptoms it causes. When you're bitten by this virus, you'll likely have flu-like symptoms: chills, fever, aches, nausea, and vomiting. It can also make your skin and intestines bleed, and in severe cases, it can lead to your death-yes, 30% of people who get it die. Just last month, a guy in Spain got really, really sick from this virus.
The Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever hasn't been found in Germany, but that might not last. While Germany doesn't have wood ticks like the Hyalomma, they've mysteriously appeared in other parts of Europe. Ute Mackenstedt, a parasitologist at the University of Hohenheim, has a hunch that the Hyaloma tick might make its way to Germany as the climate continues to change. "Hyalomma is a tick species we believe could eventually settle here," she said.
Besides being bigger, the wood tick might just be easier to detect than its European cousins! It's a good thing that spotting the tick early helps reduce your risk of getting infected. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has received a record number of tick samples in the past: 19. But that number might go way up in the future.
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Source: www.ntv.de
