Alert about the tick epidemic that is spreading throughout Catalonia

the Ticks Of the types Hyaloma lusitanicus Expanding rapidly in Catalonia. In 2022, such an expansion was observed in this tick Peri-urban environments Tarragona and Barcelona, ​​due to high temperatures and the proliferation of their hosts, such as rabbits and wild boars. Currently, its presence has been revealed in Eight provinces (None of them are from Girona): Pex Llobregat, Graf, Barcelones, Maresme, Valles Oriental, Valles Occidental, Pex Penedes and Alte Penedes.

Alarms went off because this sign could act as… Virus vector What causes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever In humans, it is a disease that can lead to a serious and even fatal hemorrhagic condition.

However, a new study conducted by researcher Agustín Estrada Peña, from the University of Zaragoza and the Agri-Food Institute of Aragon – currently part of the Spanish Ministry of Health – has confirmed… Low spread Or perhaps the absence of viruses pathogenic to humans in this species of ticks in Barcelona and Tarragona.

As reported by the University of Zaragoza on Monday, in this first metagenomic study of viruses present in Hyalomma lusitanicum ticks in the two provinces, they were discovered Four arboviruseswithout importance to human or animal health, which is in their interest Tick ​​physiology Not yet determined.

This data cannot be extrapolated to the rest of Spain, because Different environmental and climatic conditions that govern the epidemiology of these factors.

This action provides peace of mind for Growing concern about this increase The population of this tick in Barcelona and other areas of Catalonia, “the prevalence of pathogenic viruses in H. lusitanicum in the region should be considered very low or none,” the study concluded.

The technical part of this study, which consists of: Metagenomic sequencing And the Bioinformatics workIt was carried out in collaboration with Nano1Health SL, a spin-off from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, ​​while the field study was carried out by Carlos Pradera, from Anticimex.