"The tick risk is higher in rural areas than in cities," warns an expert.

Prof. Dr. Orkun told an Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent that the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus, which infects humans, was first seen in Türkiye in the early 2000s.

Prof. Dr. Orkun stated that the main vector for the virus is Hyalomma marginatum, found particularly in rural areas, and that the strain began to become active at the end of March. He said, "April and May were cold and rainy. Therefore, its activity decreased significantly. However, human contact was more frequent, especially in late May and June. This is a period of increased human movement, particularly among agricultural workers, and increased vineyard and garden work. The groups we generally see cases in are agricultural workers and those involved in animal husbandry."

Prof. Dr. Orkun stated that the number of cases increased especially after Eid al-Adha and that this was an expected situation. He emphasized that while population changes have occurred in some places, this should not be interpreted as "tick numbers have increased this year."

"HYALOMMA MARGİNATUM IS ACTIVE IN MANY PLACES IN Türkiye"

Explaining that they have been conducting studies in Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, and Northeastern Anatolia for over 10 years, Prof. Dr. Orkun continued:

"We're seeing tick populations increase in some places and decrease in others, but there's no such thing as 'completely increased across Turkey.' Hyalomma marginatum, the vector for the CCHF virus, is currently active in many parts of Turkey. There's almost no province where it's absent. Cases have been reported in the vast majority of provinces, but the intensity varies. Many factors play a role here. While agriculture is mechanized in some places, it's still carried out with human labor in others. The areas where we see cases predominantly are areas where agriculture is done with human labor. We see much more in Sivas and Tokat. Ankara is an endemic region. We see cases every year, especially in the rural areas of Ankara's northern districts."

Prof. Dr. Orkun emphasized that precautions must be taken before going to the hospital to effectively combat the CCHF virus, stating that there are certain domestic and wild animal species that increase the number of ticks and support the virus, and that it is necessary to identify these well and reveal the genetics of the population in that region.

"THE PLACES WHERE WE SEE THE ACTIVATION FOCUS OF HYALOMMA MARGINATUM ARE RURAL AREAS"

Prof. Dr. Orkun pointed out that there has been no progress in the "We will consider it after the patient comes to the hospital" method of protecting against the virus.

Prof. Dr. Orkun emphasized the need for a thorough tick map in Türkiye, noting:

We need to carefully identify the booster animals. The primary animals supporting the Hyalomma marginatum population are cattle and wild boars for the adult forms. Cattle are causing a significant increase in the tick population in that region. For the immature forms of the tick, or its young, we can count rabbits, hedgehogs, partridges, crows, sheep, and goats. The populations of these animals support both the virus and the vector.

We must first understand the role of each animal, uncover the biological roles of these elements, and then address these challenges. Certain pesticides are used to combat ticks on cattle. There are studies administering pesticides to wild animals. We can also implement measures to reduce tick populations in areas where we have clearly identified the populations of certain wild animals. Tick vaccination is the most important of these.

Prof. Dr. Orkun stated that partridges are a very suitable host for Hyalomma marginatum and that, contrary to popular belief, partridges are not effective in eating ticks.

Prof. Dr. Orkun reminded that some citizens are concerned about CCHF in city centers and parks, and provided the following information:

The main vector of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus, Hyalomma marginatum, and secondary vectors are not found in metropolitan areas. They are not found in metropolitan parks and gardens. There are animals that are important for its biology. Wild rabbits, ground-feeding birds, hedgehogs, and cattle need to coexist. The areas where we see the activation focus of this tick are rural areas. Therefore, there is nothing to fear from the parks and gardens within metropolitan cities for this tick species. We can be confident that this tick is not present. While there is no CCHF in Türkiye, there are some species that can adapt to parks and gardens. These can cause tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease. For example, you can see them in the Belgrade Forest in Istanbul, which can pose a Lyme risk.

Orkun noted that disinformation has surfaced on social media and some news sites claiming that "tea tree oil, lavender oil, and certain sprays protect against ticks," adding, "We currently have no effective method for treating or preventing Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. There is neither an effective vaccine nor an effective chemical. The most effective method we currently have is tick control and protection."

"THE MOST IMPORTANT GOLDEN RULE IS TO GET RID OF TICKS ASAP"

Prof. Dr. Orkun stated that it is possible to prevent human cases by correcting disinformation, and noted the following:

People panic when a tick attaches. There's no need for that. Removing a tick doesn't require professionalism. The key is to get rid of it as soon as possible. You're working in the field, vineyard, or garden and you see a tick on you. The first thing you should do, and this is one of the most important golden rules, is to grab and remove the tick. It's much easier if you have a tweezer-like device. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. Hyalomma marginatum is a large tick, so you can remove it with gloves. If you can't find gloves, you can grab and pull it out with a tissue or a leaf. The faster you remove a tick, the more protected you can be, even if it's infected. Furthermore, wearing protective clothing also prevents the tick from reaching your body.

Prof. Dr. Orkun said that another disinformation about ticks is that the mouth part remains inside when removed and that they transmit diseases.

Prof. Dr. Orkun explained that the tick's mouthparts have a needle-like/thorn-like structure, saying, "That's the only part it inserts into the body. Let's say you tear off the tick's mouth while removing it, and it stays inside. This has nothing to do with disease transmission. Keeping the mouthparts inside would cause a reaction similar to a splinter."

Professor Dr. Orkun, pointing out that the idea of "tick being dropped by plane into some regions" is an urban legend, said, "We've been conducting research in the fields for over 10 years. There's no such thing; it's impossible. This disease is a natural disease in our Anatolia. The mortality rate in Turkey is 5 percent. Children are quite resistant to this disease. Deaths generally occur in people with weak immune systems." (AA) This content was published by Enes Çırtlık