Molting incidents of Hyalomma spp. carrying human pathogens in Germany under different weather conditions.

Background: Hyalomma marginatum and H. rufipes are two-host tick species, which are mainly distributed in southern Europe, Africa to central Asia but may also be found in Central and Northern Europe through introduction by migratory birds.

Methods: Ticks were collected while feeding or crawling on animals and humans, or from the environment, in different regions in Germany, between 2019 and 2021 in a citizen science study and from 2022 to 2023 in the wake of this study.

Exotic ticks removed from German travelers.

We report the finding of five nymphs and three adult ticks attached to German tourists while traveling the American continents. All eight specimens were morphologically identified and confirmed genetically using the 16S rRNA gene and screened for Rickettsia spp. infections.

Update and prognosis of distribution in Germany: Nationwide occurrence of .

A considerable range expansion of has been observed in several European countries, which is concerning in the light of its vector function for several pathogens, including and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The present study provides an update on the distribution of ticks in Germany, using a citizen science approach. Ticks were collected by citizens from March 2020 to May 2021, and submitted along with information on the date and location of collection, potential hosts and details about the circumstances of discovery.

The Spatial Distribution of Ticks (Ixodidae) in Germany-Evidence of a Continuing Spread of .

In Europe, two tick species of the genus occur, and . When the spatial distribution of both species in Germany was studied comprehensively for the first time in 1976, populations were recorded along the Rhine and Main river valleys in southwestern Germany, while was very rare. In the last 50 years, however, a considerable range expansion of has been noted in several European countries.

Ixodes frontalis: a neglected but ubiquitous tick species in Germany.

The ornithophilic tick species Ixodes frontalis (Panzer) is spatially distributed in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. It can serve as a carrier of different bacteria and viruses, but little is known of its actual vector competence. In addition, adult females of this species are associated with the avian "tick-related syndrome" (TRS).

Carrion crows (Corvus corone) of southwest Germany: important hosts for haemosporidian parasites.

Background: Avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) and other Haemosporida (Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon spp.) form a diverse group of vector-transmitted blood parasites that are abundant in many bird families.