Salamanca

In Spain we have a problem and they are called ticks. In recent weeks, the Junta de Castilla y León has confirmed two cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (FHCC) in Salamanca, both linked to tick bitesone in a 68-year-old man and another in an 84-year-old man, admitted and isolated according to protocol at Gómez Ulla. Previous epidemiological reports already placed Salamanca as the Spanish province with the highest number of CCHF diagnoses in recent years, with several cases in 2024 and 2025, which has led to it being described as a risk area within national maps. Worst? That is spreading. Going to the countryside, risky sport. In the Béjar region they talk about the “proliferation” of ticks and warn that certain rural environments have become hot spots for the genus. Hyalommathe main vector of Crimea-Congo in Spain. “You can’t go there to the countryside, come on, in no way,” says Antonio Muro, professor of Parasitology at the University of Salamanca, within the framework of the 24th Congress of the Society of Parasitology. The problem is that the risk is not homogeneous and depends on the ecosystem, humidity and fauna present. Spain today registers more ticks, in more places and during more months of the year, with a presence both in rural areas and in urban parks and peri-urban areas. The fault? Various factors; climate change and the favor of the entry of wildlife into cities. City ticks. In Madrid, the concern has spread to the Sierra de Guadarrama, Miraflores, Buitrago and to the south, such as in Aranjuez, where veterinarians warn of proliferations linked to the heat and spring rains. Anecpla also maintains that the presence is no longer limited to the countryside and it is also easy to find outbreaks in parks, urban gardens and even coastal areas, because its biological cycle is lengthening, with activity earlier and later in the year. Researchers from INIA (National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology) such as Felix Valcácel They point out that there are now ticks in metropolitan environments because rabbits, hedgehogs and wild boars approach garbage cans, beaches and green areas, depositing the parasites, which then settle on people who are walking or having a picnic. The activity season has also been extended: previously it was concentrated between March and October, with the peak in June and July. Now it is easy to spot specimens throughout the year because temperatures exceed 10 degrees. This means that the risk of being bitten exists both for hikers in Béjar and for families who go with children and dogs to the park. Although not all ticks are the same. Lyme and Crimea-Congo. These are the two diseases that worry the most. The Lyme disease It is transmitted mainly by Ixodes ricinusa wet climate tick that feeds on wild animals infected by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. From there, to humans. After the bite, the first symptoms are usually a rash (skin erosion), headache, fever and fatigue. Of course, the clinical picture varies greatly between people and can become chronic if it is not diagnosed and treated in time, with joint, neurological or cardiac involvement. This is how they emphasize it from Health. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a serious virus that in Europe it is associated with ticks of the genus Hyalomma -above all H. marginatum and H. lusitanicum— widely distributed in dehesa areas and drier climates, such as parts of Castilla y León and Extremadura (Cáceres). Symptoms: high fever, muscle pain, intense discomfort, digestive symptoms and, in severe cases, bleeding and liver disorders; lethality in hospitalized patients can around 30%. In the last decade, around twenty cases involved a third of deaths. Identify them and take action. In the humid and forested north they predominate Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis punctata. They are small, dark in color, found in bushes and tall grass and are mainly responsible for the risk of Lyme. To the question about whether a tick can kill you We already know that it is, so it’s better not to take it as a joke. In the Meseta and drier areas, such as part of Salamanca, Soria and Ávila, there are abundant Hyalomma lusitanicum and Dermacentor marginatus: they are larger, with ringed legs, “with visible eyes”, very mobile and capable of following a host over the ground for a certain distance. Is it affecting tourism in the area? What’s going on: in March records were set about a series of historic figureswith a total of 129,387 travelers and 101,924 overnight stays in the first quarter in May alone. The general photo of the market depends a lot on weekends and short getaways, yes. Associations like ANECPLA agree that the key is not to cancel trips, but to change the way you go to the countryside: long, light-colored clothing, pants tucked into socks, closed boots, appropriate repellents, walking in the center of the trails, avoiding sitting on the grass and keeping the dogs dewormed (flea pipette, collar, pills on duty, etc.). Recent guides estimate that, while in central Europe there are about five relevant species, in Spain between 15 and 20 are detected, which complicates the risk message and forces more emphasis on prevention. In fact, the recommendation is that, after a trip to the countryside or to areas of dense vegetation, you check your body, whether it is an adult, child or pet, paying attention to the groin, armpits, waist, scalp, behind the ears and navel, where ticks look for thin skin and good blood flow. What to do if you have been bitten. If a tick attached to the skin is detected, it must be removed as soon as possible with fine-tipped tweezers (eyebrow tweezers usually work, if done carefully), holding it as close to the skin as possible and gently pulling upwards, without twisting or crushing the body, without applying alcohol, oil or Vaseline, and then cleaning the area with soap and water or antiseptic. In the following four weeks, it is key to monitor for fever, … Read more