Now you could catch ‘malaria’ bug in Scotland
Tick disease found in UK for first time
A TICK-borne parasite which causes a potentially deadly malaria-like illness has been discovered in the UK for the first time.
Researchers found the organism, Babesia venatorum, in sheep in the North-east of Scotland. It has never previously been recorded in the animals anywhere in the world.
The parasite is spread by tick bites and can cause the disease babesiosis.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said infected people may get symptoms such as flu and jaundice but severe cases can lead to death.
Scientists from the University of Glasgow said their ‘surprising’ discovery highlighted a ‘new risk’ for those working or hiking in areas with infected livestock
Babesiosis has been recorded extensively in China and in Europe, with two human infections confirmed in Italy in 20 years.
Climate change is expected to make the UK more hospitable for ticks and disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes.
Babesiosis is treatable in most cases, although this depends on rapid diagnosis. Dr Willie Weir, senior university clinician at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, said: ‘The presence of Babesia venatorum in the UK represents a new risk to humans working, living or hiking in areas with infected ticks and livestock, particularly sheep.
‘Although we believe the threat to humans to be low, nevertheless local health and veterinary professionals will need to be aware of the disease.’
It is unclear how the ticks reached the sheep. One possibility is that Babesia venatorum may have been carried by migratory birds from Scandinavia.
Dr Alex Gray, also of the University of Glasgow, said: ‘Our study reveals that sheep can be a natural host for Babesia venatorum in the UK, which is surprising since we believed roe deer to be the main mammalian host for this parasite in Europe.
‘Ongoing active surveillance of this parasite in livestock would be useful to fully understand the prevalence and transmission of the disease, as such information may be critical for controlling the spread of babesiosis.’
The study is published in the December edition of Emerging Infectious Disease.