Cent Eur J Public Health 2008, 16(1):4-11 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3460

Influence of Climate Warming on Tick-borne Encephalitis Expansion to Higher Altitudes during the Last Decade (1997-2006) in the Highland Region (Czech Republic)

Vlasta Danielová1, Stanislava Kliegrová2, Milan Daniel1, Čestmír Beneš1
1 National Institute of Public Health, Prague, Czech Republic
2 Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

The steep rise in the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in the 1990s and its subsequent high level in the Czech Republic are not even over the whole territory. It is manifested markedly in the Czech-Moravian Highland region. In the decades of 1971 through 1992, TBE incidence in the Highland Region did not reach the countrywide average. The rise has been noted only since 1997; in the year 2006 TBE incidence in that administrative region was more than double the countrywide average. Analysis of the situation have not found any socio-economic shifts or land-use changes, or in the numbers of game animals, that could have had an effect on TBE incidence. The rise of infections in localities 500 m above sea level (a.s.l.) and more was markedly steeper than that below that altitudinal limit. At those altitudes there has been found an increase in average monthly temperatures exceeding countrywide averages namely in the period of maximum Ixodes ricinus activity (May-August). Detailed analysis of meteorological conditions and comparison with a long-term study of the influence of modifications of the mountain climate in the Krkonoše Mts. on I. ricinus tick distribution and the pathogens transmitted by them, have led to the conclusion that likewise in the Czech-Moravian Highland a marked warming had influenced the local population of the vector I. ricinus, caused an activation of foci of TBE, increased contacts of humans with the vector, consequently giving rise to an apparent increase in the incidence of human cases of TBE.

Keywords: tick-borne encephalitis, vertical distribution, climate modification

Revised: December 4, 2007; Accepted: December 4, 2007; Published: March 1, 2008  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Danielová V, Kliegrová S, Daniel M, Beneš Č. Influence of Climate Warming on Tick-borne Encephalitis Expansion to Higher Altitudes during the Last Decade (1997-2006) in the Highland Region (Czech Republic). Cent Eur J Public Health. 2008;16(1):4-11. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3460. PubMed PMID: 18459472.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Daniel M, Danielová V, Kříž B, JirsaA, Nožička J. Shift of the tick Ixodes ricinus and tick-borne encephalitis to higher altitudes in central Europe. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2003 May;22(5):327-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    2. Černý V, Rosický B, Ašmera J, Kadlčík K, Kobík V, Kratochvílová E, et al. Results of investigations of Ixodes ricinus (L.) tick phenology in Czech lands in 1960-1962. Českoslov Parasitol. 1965;(2):125-31. (In Czech.)
    3. Daniel M. Influence of the microclimate on the vertical distribution of the tick Ixodes ricinus (L.) in central Europe. Acarologia. 1993;34(2):10513.
    4. Daniel M, Danielová V, Kříž B, Kott I. An attempt to elucidate the increased incidence of tick-borne encephalitis and its spread to higher altitudes in the Czech Republic. Int J Med Microbiol. 2004Apr;293 Suppl 37:55-62. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    5. Materna J, Daniel M, Danielová V. Altitudinal distribution limit of the tick Ixodes ricinus shifted considerably towards higher altitudes in central Europe: results of three years monitoring in the Krkonoše Mts. (Czech Republic). Cent Eur J Public Health. 2005 Mar;13(1):24-8.
    6. Lindgren E, Gustafson R. Tick-borne encephalitis in Sweden and climate change. Lancet. 2001 Jul 7;358(9275):16-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    7. Skarpaas T, Golovljova I, Vene S, Ljøstad U, Sjursen H, Plyusnin A, et al. Tickborne encephalitis virus, Norway and Denmark. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 Jul;12(7):1136-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Zeman P, Beneš Č. A tick-borne encephalitis ceiling in central Europe has moved upwards during the last 30 years: possible impact of global warming? Int J Med Microbiol. 2004 Apr,293 Suppl 37:48-54. Go to original source...
    9. Danielová V, Kříž B, Daniel M, Beneš Č, Valter J, Kott I. Effects of climate change on the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis in the Czech Republic in the past two decades. Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol. 2004 Nov;53(4):174-81. (In Czech.)
    10. Chemini C, RizzoliA. Land use change and biodiversity conservation in the Alps. J Mt Ecol. 2003;(7):1-7.
    11. Danielová V, Schwarzová L, Materna J, Daniel M, Metelka L, Holubová J, et al. Tick-borne encephalitis virus expansion to higher altitudes and the influence of climatic changes. Int J Med Microbiol. In press 2008. Go to original source...
    12. Danielová V, Rudenko N, Daniel M, Holubová J, Materna J, Golovchenko M, et al. Extension of Ixodes ricinus ticks and agents of tick-borne diseases to mountain areas in the Czech Republic. Int J Med Microbiol. 2006 May;296 Suppl 40:48-53. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. Materna J, Daniel M, Metelka L, Harčarik J. The vertical distribution, density and the development of the tick Ixodes ricinus in mountain areas influenced by climate change (the Krkonoše Mts., Czech Republic). Int J Med Microbiol. In press 2008. Go to original source...
    14. Von Storch H, Zwiers FW. Statistical analysis in climate research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1999. Go to original source...
    15. Daniel M, Kříž B, Danielová V, Beneš Č. Sudden increase in tick-borne encephalitis cases in the Czech Republic in year 2006. Int J Med Microbiol. In press 2008. Go to original source...
    16. Kříž B, Beneš Č, Danielová V, Daniel M. Socio-economic conditions and other anthropogenic factors influencing tick-borne encephalitis incidence in the Czech Republic. Int J Med Microbiol. 2004 Apr;293 Suppl 37:638. Go to original source...
    17. Green paper from the Commission to the Council, the European parliament, the European economic and social committee and the Committee of the regions. COM (2007)354 final. Brussels: Commission of the European communities; 2007.

    Return to the content