Vector-borne Infectious Diseases in Climate Change Investigations (VICCI):
Project 2: Monitoring Tick activity in Recreational Areas: Temporal and Spacial Dynamics and Dependence on Environmental Factors
Project Director
PD Dr. Dr. Heinz Rinder, Philipp Bozem and Marvin Lüpke*;
Section TF3, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim; *Fakultät für Forstwissenschaft, Technische Universität München
Overview
Season and weather dependent Ixodes ricinus tick activity was monitored during 2009 in Southern Germany by standardized methods compatible to the EDEN procedures (flagging defined, 100 m² sized areas). With respect to Public Health, 6 different types of recreational areas were selected: Parks in a large city (Munich, central park "English Garden") and a smaller town (Herrsching, town park), along a popular hiking route in the Alps (Garmisch, mountain "Wank", 800 m altitude difference), inside a National Park ("Bayerischer Wald"), along a well-frequented river valley (river "Altmuehl"), and a forest area near a university (Freising).
In each location, four, six or eight 100 m² sites were marked, GPS coordinates taken, described in respect to vegetation and surroundings, and photographed. Temperatures and relative humidities were continously monitored within each sampling site using miniature data loggers ("iButtons"). Each site was probed for ticks once to four times per month.
Further Information
- VICCI collaborative research project: aim, background, contact persons
Other VICCI Projects
- VICCI Project 1: Prospective Study on the Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. species in Ixodes ricinus in Bavaria
- VICCI Project 3: Study and epidemiological Computermodelling on vector-borne infectious diseases in Bavaria
- VICCI Project 4: Risk assessment of tick-borne diseases in bavarian public parks
- VICCI Project 5: Study on the presence of rodent-transmitted zoonoses along a climate gradient in the Bavarian Forest National Park
- VICCI Project 6: Autochthonous Leishmaniasis in Bavaria: Studies of Vector Prevalence and of Animal Reservoirs
- VICCI Project 7: Biogeographical analysis of health-relevant species and projection of their spreading tendencies under changing climatic conditions in Bavaria
- VICCI Project 8.1: Study Center
- VICCI Project 8.2: Population-based epidemiological risk assessment for lyme disease, hantavirus and leishmaniasis in Bavaria in the context of climate change
- VICCI Project 8.3: Project Coordination
