The OH SURVector project started at the beginning of 2024. As part of this, a national tick monitoring programme was established at AGES. Such monitoring makes it possible to continuously monitor the native tick fauna in terms of their spatio-temporal occurrence and the presence of their pathogens. Climatic influences in particular can lead to changes. The occurrence of exotic ticks in Austria, such as Hyalomma marginatum ("giant tick"), which are normally found in more southerly regions, is also favoured by climate change.

Ticks are vectors for numerous microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and protozoa), which can cause diseases such as TBE, Lyme disease, tularaemia , etc. Other pathogens such as anaplasma, rickettsia, neoehrlichia, relapsing fever borrelia, etc. are less well known, but are also found in native ticks.

In the pilot year 2024, incoming ticks were tested for the presence of Borrelia. An expansion of monitoring to include other pathogens is planned from 2025 as part of the RAISE project. In the first year of the national tick monitoring programme, we received a total of 1,420 ticks from all over Austria.

The most common tick genus was Ixodes (87%), led by the tick species Ixodes ricinus. Other Ixodes species were I. hexagonus and I. acuminatus. The latter was detected for the first time in many years. The second most common genus were ticks of the genus Dermacentor (11 %). Both D. reticulatus and D. marginatus were found. Other tick species detected were Haemaphysalis concinna, Argas reflexus and Hyalomma marginatum ("giant ticks").

Native shield ticks of the genera Ixodes, Dermacentor and Haemaphysalis were also analysed for the presence of Borrelia, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, following species identification. In total, Borrelia was found in 20 % of all ticks. I. ricinus ticks, which are the most common carriers of Lyme borreliosis, showed an infection rate of 23 %, with regional differences.

In 2024, we also received photos of ticks suspected of being "giant ticks" (= Hyalomma ticks). A total of 11 findings were confirmed; almost all of them were imported cases from abroad. Eight of these 11 reported ticks were sent to us for testing for the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus. To date, all ticks examined have tested negative for this virus. Further tests were able to detect 37.5 % of the ticks Rickettsia aeschlimanniithe causative agent of rickettsiosis.