Vector arthropods -among them, ticks– They are a planet-wide public health problem and are estimated to be responsible for 17% of the burden of infectious diseases due to certain periods of drought and subsequent heavy rains, according to the researcher and international expert. Efe. José Antonio Oteo on this.
This invertebrate species that transmits bacteria, viruses, protozoa, worms and toxins, including mosquitoes, flies, fleas and lice; And drought, rise in temperatures, and “perhaps the uncontrollability of animal populations,” such diseases “ crescendo“assured.
“Invasive species” of these vector arthropods are being detected, Oteo elaborated, noting that “the tiger mosquito, which transmits many infectious diseases, was detected a few years ago” in Spain.
However, an invasive Asian tick species called ‘ emerged in 2017.Haemaphisalis longicornis‘ and transmitted a “very serious” disease, originating in New Jersey (USA) and detected in nearly the entirety of that country in 2018; as well as in China, Korea and Japan.
Although there are currently no cases of this tick disease in the United States, in addition to the fact that another virus has been detected in this country, it has an “enormous invasion” capacity, bourbon “threats” to “public health” that requires “knowing the risks”.
Human health and environmental health
According to Otheus, Human, animal and environmental health go hand in hand And decisions cannot be made by considering what is in just one, it must be a global approach.
“We are not doing anything to protect ourselves if we do not control what happens to animals or the environment. because they have a completely direct relationship to our health,” he said.
He noticed greater awareness of diagnosing tick-borne diseases, but wild animal populations are not controlledthis must be done because it is important to monitor the number of these vector arthropods.
For example, “If there are millions of uncontrolled rabbits, there are millions of ticks parasitizing on them. and it appears to be directly the cause of the rickettsiosis (disease transmitted by ticks) that we described in Spain ten years ago, although it was previously identified in France.
“I’m not an advocate of hunting, but there has to be a balance; there can’t be too many animals roaming around because that makes it more likely that ticks or mosquitoes, as well as other vector arthropods, will multiply and close the cycle,” he pointed out.
Many ticks in parks
He referred to the fact that “there are a lot of ticks in the parks, something that didn’t happen in the past and that’s because there are a lot of animals” and for example “dogs, if they haven’t been well sanitized go away”. go out into the field and also bring ticks to the parks”.
He also emphasized the importance of raising public awareness in other actions. Do not leave water under containers where potted plants accumulate. Being a focus of attraction for such arthropod vectors.
Most tick-borne diseases Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, first detected in ticks in Spain in 2010 It was collected in deer in Cáceres, and numerous cases have since been described in the country.
It is a condition that can kill 20 to 30 percent of people who suffer from it and therefore it is necessary to know it and to diagnose it in time and try to prevent it, because already twelve cases have been published and some deaths.
In this context, he emphasized:climate change, especially warming, is closely related to arthropod vectors.“, because it will increase their survival and reproduction.
In addition, one of the most important vector arthropods “currently” in Europe is the hard tick, which transmits Lyme disease, among others.