In a new study, researchers at Uppsala University and other institutions have identified genetic material from the recently identified Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus in the tick species Hyalomma rufipes. The discovery was made after thousands of ticks were collected from migratory birds captured in the Mediterranean basin. The results indicate that birds could contribute to spreading the virus to new geographical areas.
The Alkhurma virus (a.k.a Alkhumra) was first found in Saudi Arabia in the mid-1990s, in patients with typical hemorrhagic fever symptoms. The condition resembles diseases like Ebola but seems to be spread by contact with cattle and camels or from tick bites and not directly between humans. The knowledge about this relatively novel virus is still limited, and it is not known exactly which animals can act as hosts for the virus and which insects or tick species transmit the disease. Previous research has pointed to camels and other domestic livestock as potential carriers of the virus, and to one or several tick species possibly spreading the disease between mammals, including humans. The virus is a close relative to another tick-borne virus (Kyasanur Forest Disease virus) found in India. So far, the Alkhurma virus has only been seen on the Arabian Peninsula and in Egypt.
In a multi-national collaboration, researchers at Uppsala University have detected Alkhurma virus RNA in several ticks that were removed from birds migrating from Africa to Europe. The purpose of the study is to find out which tick-borne diseases that could potentially spread to new regions with migratory birds. Thousands of ticks were removed from migrating birds at seven different bird observatories in the Mediterranean basin.
Read more at Uppsala University
Image: Removal of tick from Common whitethroat (Sylvia communis) caught in mist net at Capri, Italy, by ornithologist Dario Piacentini. (Credit: Tove Hoffman)