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Gefahren der Übertragung von Krankheitserregern durch Schildzecken in Deutschland

Threat of transmission of infectious pathogens by Ixodes ricinus ticks in Germany

  • Leitthema
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz Aims and scope

Zusammenfassung

Durch Zecken übertragbare Krankheitserreger haben eine große Bedeutung für die Gesundheit der deutschen Bevölkerung. Viren wie das Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis-Virus (FSMEV), das Uukuniemi-Virus, das Tribec-Virus und das Eyach-Virus oder Bakterien wie Borrelien, Rickettsien, Francisella tularensis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) oder Coxiella burnetii wurden in der in Deutschland häufigsten Zecke, der Schildzecke Ixodes ricinus, nachgewiesen. Während allgemein bekannt ist, dass Zecken FSMEV und Borrelien übertragen können, ist selbst in Fachkreisen nicht bekannt, dass sie auch die anderen oben genannten Erreger tragen und ggf. entsprechende Infektionen verursachen können. Auch wenn in Deutschland in Einzelfällen Erkrankungen nach Übertragung der zuletzt genannten Erreger durch Zecken bereits beschrieben wurden, fehlen systematische Untersuchungen über ihr Vorkommen und ihre pathogenen Eigenschaften. So ist weitgehend unklar, welche Bedeutung neu entdeckte Infektionserreger wie Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis oder auch lange bekannte Erreger wie Rickettsien spielen, die sich bisweilen in einem Fünftel der untersuchten Zecken nachweisen lassen. Ob Klimaänderungen zur weiteren Ausbreitung der Zecken und der Infektionserreger beitragen, bedarf ebenfalls weiterer Untersuchungen. Die Initiativen zur Schaffung natürlicher Lebensräume und der Trend zum häufigeren Aufenthalt in der Natur im Rahmen von Freizeitaktivitäten verstärkt die Gefahr, in Kontakt mit Zecken und ihren Infektionserregern zu kommen. Folglich kann in Zukunft mit dem Auftreten weiterer, bisher nicht bekannter Erkrankungen durch die Übertragung diese Erreger gerechnet werden.

Abstract

Tick-transmitted diseases are of great importance for the general health of the German population. Several viruses, such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Uukuniemi virus, Tribec virus, Eyach virus or bacteria, such as Borrelia, Rickettsiae, Francisella tularensis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis (CNM) and Coxiella burnetii were detected in the most prominent tick in Germany, the hard tick Ixodes ricinus. While infections, such as TBE and Lyme disease are well known, other infections are hardly known even among experts. Although there have been a few descriptions of isolated cases in Germany, a systematic investigation regarding the distribution and the pathogenic potential of these pathogens is still lacking. In particular elderly people and people with underlying diseases seem to be mostly affected. The importance of new infectious disease agents, such as Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis but also of long known pathogens, such as Rickettsiae still remains unclear, while some of them could be detected in 20 % of investigated ticks. Whether climate change contributes to the further distribution of these infectious agents remains unclear and requires further investigation. The increasing initiatives to create natural environments and the trend towards spending more time in nature for recreational activities will increase the danger of coming into contact with ticks and the respective infectious agents. Considering these circumstances an increase of diseases caused by these pathogens is to be expected.

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Danksagung

Für die Anregungen und Unterstützung bei diesem Beitrag möchten wir uns recht herzlich bei Prof. Jabbar Ahmed, Borstel, und Prof. Heiner Neubauer, Jena, bedanken.

Einhaltung ethischer Richtlinien

Interessenkonflikt. G. Dobler, V. Fingerle, P. Hagedorn, M. Pfeffer, C. Silaghi, H. Tomaso, K. Henning und M. Niedrig geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht. Dieser Beitrag beinhaltet keine Studien an Menschen oder Tieren.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Mikrobiologie der Bundeswehr, München, Deutschland

    G. Dobler

  2. Nationales Referenzzentrum für Borrelien, Dienststelle Oberschleißheim, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL), Oberschleißheim, Deutschland

    V. Fingerle

  3. Zentrum für Biologische Gefahren und Spezielle Pathogene (ZBS-1), Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, 13353, Berlin, Deutschland

    P. Hagedorn &  M. Niedrig

  4. Institut für Tierhygiene und Öffentliches Veterinärwesen, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland

    M. Pfeffer

  5. Lehrstuhl für Vergleichende Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie, Veterinärmedizinisches Department, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Deutschland

    C. Silaghi

  6. Institut für bakterielle Infektionen und Zoonosen, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit, Jena, Deutschland

    H. Tomaso

  7. Nationales Referenzlabor für Q-Fieber, Institut für bakterielle Infektionen und Zoonosen, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit, Jena, Deutschland

    K. Henning

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  1. G. Dobler
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  2. V. Fingerle
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  5. C. Silaghi
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  7. K. Henning
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  8. M. Niedrig
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Correspondence to M. Niedrig.

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Dobler, G., Fingerle, V., Hagedorn, P. et al. Gefahren der Übertragung von Krankheitserregern durch Schildzecken in Deutschland. Bundesgesundheitsbl. 57, 541–548 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-013-1921-0

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