The warmer climate attracts a rising tick from Africa

Adult individuals of the Hyalomma marginatum  and  Hyalomma rufipes ticks were  first discovered in Sweden in the hot summer of 2018. They had come here as young ticks with migratory birds from southern Europe and Africa.  

"The Hyaloma Mounts are recognized to be larger, up to two centimeters when they are full of blood and have striped legs," says Anna Omazic, a researcher at SVA. 

Adult hyalomas primarily have larger animals such as cows and horses as host animals. They can also move quickly like spiders and, unlike the Swedish fortress, have eyes. Play the video to see pictures of the tick and what new dangerous disease it can spread.

Larvae of  Hyalomma marginatum  and Hyalomma rufipes  usually come with migratory birds to Sweden each spring. But because of our cold and humid climate, they have not been able to develop into adult, sexually mature ticks.  

During the hot summer of 2018, horse owners found about 50 specimens that had evolved into sexually mature males and females and could thus reproduce in Sweden. 

So far, no resident populations of the new tick species have been discovered, but according to ticking scientist Thomas Jaenson at Uppsala University, that may change. 

"No, so far they probably do not survive to a sufficient extent here, but within a few decades they have probably formed permanent populations that reproduce here because of the warmer climate," says Thomas Jaenson. 

New ticks can carry infections that we do not have in Sweden today.  

- Many tick-borne diseases are zoonoses, that is, can infect animals and humans. We therefore need to monitor these ticks to see if they establish themselves in the country and be able to investigate which infections they carry, says Anna Omazic.  

If you find an unusual tick in the summer, you can take a photo of it and send it to the researchers at the State Veterinary Institute, SVA. fasting@sva.se.