A systematic review of the occurrence of Hyalomma ticks associated with birds migrating between Africa and the Northern Hemisphere
Zhou, Ruobing Gao, Panjun Cecere, Jacopo G Rubolini, Diego Koopmans, Marion Mancuso, Elisa van der Jeugd, Henk Sikkema, Reina S Epis, Sara Monaco, Federica
Zhou, Ruobing
Gao, Panjun
Cecere, Jacopo G
Rubolini, Diego
Koopmans, Marion
Mancuso, Elisa
van der Jeugd, Henk
Sikkema, Reina S
Epis, Sara
Monaco, Federica
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Systematic Review
Article
Systematic Review
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2026-01-09
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
A systematic review of the occurrence of Hyalomma ticks associated with birds migrating between Africa and the Northern Hemisphere
Translated Title
Published in
Parasit Vectors 2026; 19(1):73
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease endemic to Africa, Southern Europe, and Western Asia. Its main vectors, Hyalomma ticks, can spread to and possibly establish populations in non-endemic regions via migratory birds.
METHODS: We summarized the association between migratory birds and Hyalomma ticks by analysing spatial and temporal patterns in tick prevalence and infestation intensity on migratory birds through a systematic review of studies conducted in Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa between 1954 and 2022.
RESULTS: We reviewed 37 studies and retrieved data from one additional unpublished datasets. Overall, we collected data on the occurrence of 3876 ticks, most of which were in immature life stages, from 1553 individuals of 75 migratory bird species. The prevalence of ticks from both the Hyalomma genus and Hyalomma marginatum complex ticks (H. marginatum and H. rufipes) on migrating birds declined significantly with increasing latitude of the sampling sites in spring. Additionally, we found that the infestation intensity of both tick groups on migratory birds was significantly higher among intra-Palearctic migrants than in Afro-Palearctic migrants.
CONCLUSIONS: This review underscores the role of migratory bird species in spreading Hyalomma ticks across the Northern Hemisphere and highlights their potential as an early warning system for CCHF outbreaks. This study demonstrates the need to integrate migratory birds into CCHF surveillance systems as sentinels of Hyalomma tick dispersal, providing a reference framework for monitoring tick-borne risks along avian migration routes.