Discovering a new brand in Sweden

A species of tick never before found in Sweden has now been discovered here for the first time, reports the state veterinary institute, SVA. It concerns various species of sheep ticks, which can spread a life-threatening disease.

The new tick species has been found in the Stockholm area and has been submitted to the SVA “Report Tick” initiative. The tick was found last year, and now the SVA has analyzed the find and identified this as the species Dermacentor marginatus, or variegated sheep tick which is the Swedish name. Ticks live naturally in southern Europe, as well as in Iran, Kazakhstan, and in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. SVA writes in a press release.

Various sheep ticks can carry many different infectious agents, for example Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, which can cause severe disease with a mortality rate of up to 40 percent.

The SVA reports that all unusual tick findings from last year have been analyzed and confirmed negative for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.

“We need to continue the analysis work and study the new species further before we can provide more information about the case,” says Giulio Grande, veterinarian and parasitologist at SVA, in the press release.

The arrival of new tick species in the Nordic countries is linked to changes in climate, making conditions for ticks more favorable.

– The new discovery shows that our monitoring could serve as an early warning signal for new tick species. It is important to identify exotic tick species early. This type of surveillance can help us be better prepared in case animals or people become infected, SVA researcher Anna Omazic says in the press release.