Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a broadly distributed tick-borne disease and is caused by the arthropod-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). Hyalomma ticks have been associated with the circulation of the virus in natural foci and in laboratory experiments. One of the main species...

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Main Authors: Ruobing Zhou, Hein Sprong, Qiyong Liu, Thomas Krafft, Agustin Estrada-Peña
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-03-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012923
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author Ruobing Zhou
Hein Sprong
Qiyong Liu
Thomas Krafft
Agustin Estrada-Peña
author_facet Ruobing Zhou
Hein Sprong
Qiyong Liu
Thomas Krafft
Agustin Estrada-Peña
author_sort Ruobing Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a broadly distributed tick-borne disease and is caused by the arthropod-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). Hyalomma ticks have been associated with the circulation of the virus in natural foci and in laboratory experiments. One of the main species, Hyalomma rufipes, is originally distributed in Africa. However, anthropogenic activities, bird migration, and domestic animal movement, could break the natural barriers that prevent its spread out of its natural area of colonization. This study explored the potential suitable areas for H. rufipes in Africa, Southern Europe and Central Asia using an environmental niche model. Explanatory variables based on climate were generated by harmonic regression of long-term climate; records of H. rufipes were obtained from public databases or provided by other scientists and researchers. The model indicated that areas likely to support permanent populations of H. rufipes are distributed across Southern Africa, Northern Africa, Southern Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Caucasus. Data on migratory birds infested with H. rufipes further supports the need for surveillance activities in these regions to monitor and manage both the vectors and the pathogens they carry.
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issn 1935-2727
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publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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series PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
spelling doaj-art-112e146cfc7e4548be8a4768ffd1808a2025-08-20T03:13:33ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352025-03-01193e001292310.1371/journal.pntd.0012923Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.Ruobing ZhouHein SprongQiyong LiuThomas KrafftAgustin Estrada-PeñaCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a broadly distributed tick-borne disease and is caused by the arthropod-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). Hyalomma ticks have been associated with the circulation of the virus in natural foci and in laboratory experiments. One of the main species, Hyalomma rufipes, is originally distributed in Africa. However, anthropogenic activities, bird migration, and domestic animal movement, could break the natural barriers that prevent its spread out of its natural area of colonization. This study explored the potential suitable areas for H. rufipes in Africa, Southern Europe and Central Asia using an environmental niche model. Explanatory variables based on climate were generated by harmonic regression of long-term climate; records of H. rufipes were obtained from public databases or provided by other scientists and researchers. The model indicated that areas likely to support permanent populations of H. rufipes are distributed across Southern Africa, Northern Africa, Southern Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Caucasus. Data on migratory birds infested with H. rufipes further supports the need for surveillance activities in these regions to monitor and manage both the vectors and the pathogens they carry.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012923
spellingShingle Ruobing Zhou
Hein Sprong
Qiyong Liu
Thomas Krafft
Agustin Estrada-Peña
Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.
title_full Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.
title_fullStr Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.
title_full_unstemmed Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.
title_short Mapping the potential suitable habitats for Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Africa and Western Eurasia.
title_sort mapping the potential suitable habitats for hyalomma rufipes acari ixodidae in africa and western eurasia
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012923
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