Send in your tick to map out the TBE virus
Our common tick (Ixodes ricinus) can be a carrier of the TBE virus, which can cause the disease tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Photo: Getty Images
The Report Tick project has increased knowledge of the country’s tick species and their geographical distribution. This year, the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA) has partnered with Uppsala University to map the prevalence of the TBE virus in ticks and where in the country the virus is found. The project hopes to receive 10,000 ticks.
Tove Hoffman, researcher at the Zoonosis Science Center at Uppsala University. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
The entire Swedish population is invited to participate in the study by reporting tick findings via the Report Tick tool and sending the findings to SVA. One goal is to create an updated map of the virus’ distribution in Sweden. The viruses found will be studied in detail, and their genetic material will be mapped.
“With the help of the Swedish people, for the first time ever we will be able to conduct a national study of the distribution of the TBE virus in Sweden. We look forward to conducting this unique project together with SVA,” says researcher Tove Hoffman, who works at the Zoonosis Science Center at Uppsala University.
Identifying new risk areas for TBE
The aim of this year’s tick collection is to identify new risk areas for TBE and to understand which variants of the TBE virus currently exist in Sweden. This is an important element of improving TBE vaccination strategies.
“We will also study the extent to which the TBE virus has changed genetically over time in different places in Sweden, something which has not been done before,” says Professor Åke Lundkvist at the Zoonosis Science Center.
Sending ticks to SVA just takes three simple steps. 1) Take a picture of the tick. 2) Report in the web tool. 3) Send the tick to SVA. Since postage will be paid, there is no cost to those who contribute to the research.
Hoping for 10,000 ticks
“We hope to receive 10,000 ticks from all over Sweden in 2025. We are looking forward to our partnership with Uppsala University, and we promise to update the public on how the work is going and the results we get through the ‘Fästbloggen’ blog and other channels. We are also working intensively to develop a mobile app to make it even easier to report tick findings,” says Anna Omazic of SVA.
Our common tick (Ixodes ricinus) can be a carrier of the TBE virus, which can cause the disease tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). TBE mainly affects humans and can cause serious symptoms. In most cases, the virus causes a milder, flu-like illness, but each year around 500 people are affected by the more severe form of the disease.
Annica Hulth
Report Tick
- Thanks to over 20,000 reports of tick findings to the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA), knowledge of our domestic tick species and their distribution has increased.
- Findings of exotic tick species are a clear indication that Report Tick is also a valuable tool for monitoring new species and new infectious agents they may carry.