Ticks are on the move! One of them lays 10 thousand eggs
With the noticeable increase in air temperatures throughout Turkey, the tick population is also increasing rapidly. Tick cases, which have intensified with increasing air temperatures, especially in Central Anatolia, also bring with them the risk of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) disease. Experts emphasize that citizens should be careful and take precautions during this period when ticks begin to feed by sucking blood from humans and animals. Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine Public Health Department Faculty Member Prof. Dr. İlhan Çetin warned citizens that the increase in temperature, especially since mid-June, has accelerated the spread of ticks in nature.
Prof. Dr. İlhan Çetin said that the region received plenty of rain until mid-June this year and the weather was cool, and added, "We saw serious warming starting from June 12-13. The hatching of ticks is closely related to the air temperature. Ticks do not hatch before the air reaches a certain temperature. During this period, we see that many ticks hatch, spread into nature, and feed on people and animals by clinging to them. We see many tick bite cases both in our own hospital and in neighboring hospitals. As the weather gets warmer, we see more tick bite cases in June, July, August and September. We can see that it is less in March and April and decreases from October and November."
Explaining the biological cycle of ticks, Çetin said, "Ticks have 4 phases. While passing through these 4 phases, they want to suck blood from either humans or animals. Since their need to suck blood increases in hot weather, they have a higher risk of coming to both animals and humans and biting them by clinging to them. After ticks hatch from eggs, we call them larvae, they need to feed in order to become nymphs. During this time, they suck blood from reptiles such as rabbits, hedgehogs and mice. Because the larvae are very small and they are more likely to cling to smaller animals. When they fall off small animals, we call them hungry nymphs. Nymphs need to feed in order to pass to the next stage and become adults. At that time, they cling more to animals such as foxes, bears and pigs in the wild. When they are released from these animals, they need to cling to them in some way again in order to become adults. During that period, they also move from animals to domestic animals, from sheep to cattle and depending on the type of animal found in that region, to animals or humans. "He is holding on and filling his stomach again," he said.
"ONE TICK CAN LAY NEARLY 10 THOUSAND EGGS"Emphasizing that the most effective way to combat ticks is early intervention, Çetin said, "Ticks mate when they become adults. Adult ticks lay eggs. One tick can lay nearly 10 thousand eggs. If ticks can be eliminated on animals before they lay eggs, we will have made the greatest fight we can against ticks."
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