The Hyalomma tick originally comes from southern Europe and Africa and can transmit the dangerous Crimean-Congo virus . The tropical parasites overwintered in Germany for the first time and have already been spotted in several federal states . How to recognize them and how to protect yourself!
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Hyalomma ticks are up to two centimeters long
The Hyalomma tick originally comes from the arid and semi-arid areas in Africa, Asia and southern Europe, from Spain to Italy and Turkey. It can be easily distinguished from the native wood tick species: With a body size of up to two centimeters , they are significantly longer and have conspicuously striped legs .
localities in Germany
Since the Hyalomma tick can transmit the dangerous Crimean-Congo virus, you should be particularly careful in these states :
- Bayern
- Baden-Wuerttemberg
- Hessen
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Brandenburg
- Berlin
- Schleswig-Holstein
The Krim-Kongo-Virus
The incubation period is usually between 1 and 13 days. Typical symptoms are:
- constant fever for five to twelve days
- chills
- irritability
- Headache, muscle pain, body aches
- epigastric pain
- Nausea & Vomiting
- facial flushing and facial edema
- conjunctival and pharyngeal redness
- intestinal bleeding
- vomiting blood
- skin bleeding
- Increased tendency to bleed (haemorrhagic diathesis), e.g. prolonged bleeding, bleeding in the digestive tract or in the joints
Protection from the Hyalomma tick
There is no vaccination against the Crimean-Congo virus. For prevention, you should wear light-colored, long and closed clothing. After every stay in nature you should check for ticks. Because even the common woodbuck can, for example , transmit Lyme disease or TBE (tick-borne encephalitis).
Contact with sick people should be avoided. The disease is subject to reporting !
