The influence of meteorological factors on the density of Hyalomma spp., ticks in Iran

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Nayyereh Choubdar, Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Fateh Karimian, Mona Koosha and Mohammad Ali Oshaghi, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Background/Question/Methods
Worldwide changes in socio-economic, environmental factors and the global climate are recognized causes of variation in tick distribution and density. In Iran, Hyalomma ticks are the most common vectors of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). The impact of environmental factors on Hyalomma spp., is largely unknown. Further study on the impact of climate change on tick population densities is required. We evaluated the effect of meteorological factors, including temperature, humidity, and precipitation on Hyalomma spp., community structure and abundances between 2016 and 2017 on eleven sites in Iran were investigated. Additionally, the possible infection of ticks with CCHF virus was evaluated via reverse transcription PCR technique.
Results/Conclusions
Species analyses demonstrated the presence of Hyalomma anatolicum, H. marginatum, H. dromedarii, H. asiaticum, H. detritum and H. schulzei in the study area. Hyalomma anatolicum was the dominant species in the southern and northern parts, whereas H. dromedarii was distributed mostly in central parts of the Iran. H. anatolicum, H. dromedarii frequencies had significant positive and negative association with temperature and precipitation respectively. Also humidity had a positive impact on H. asiaticum frequency. Data presented here will help improve ecological models to forecast the distribution of Hyalomma spp., to evaluate the risk of CCHF and other tick-borne diseases, and to design proper vector control measures to suppress Hyalomma populations.