Zoological Institute, Department of Ecology and Parasitology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kornblumenstrasse 13, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
Int J Parasitol. 2013 Nov;43(12-13):1059-77. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2013.06.009. Epub 2013 Aug 1.
Zoonotic diseases are major causes of infection related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Of the various arthropods capable of transmitting pathogens that cause such diseases to humans, ticks, which are vectors of more kinds of pathogens than any other group of invertebrate, have become an increasing focus of attention. This is particularly the case in the temperate northern hemisphere where they are a significant vector of human disease. Here, we provide an overview of the complex ecological systems defining the various epidemiological cycles of tick-borne diseases. We highlight the abiotic and biotic factors influencing the establishment and persistence of tick populations and their associated pathogens. Furthermore, we emphasize the dynamic nature of such systems, especially when they are under the influence of both small and large-scale anthropogenic changes to the environment. Although a great deal of work has been done on ticks and the diseases which they transmit, the very dynamism of the system means that new factors are continually arising which shift the epidemiological pattern within specific areas. We therefore consider that more detailed, long-term (i.e. at least 10 years), multidisciplinary studies need to be carried out to define why and how these pattern shifts take place and to determine their public health significance.
人畜共患病是全球感染相关发病率和死亡率的主要原因。在各种能够将引起此类疾病的病原体传播给人类的节肢动物中，蜱虫作为比任何其他无脊椎动物传播种类更多病原体的媒介，已引起越来越多的关注。在温带北半球，蜱虫更是人类疾病的重要媒介，这种情况尤其如此。在这里，我们概述了定义各种蜱传疾病不同流行病学循环的复杂生态系统。我们强调了影响蜱虫种群及其相关病原体建立和持续存在的非生物和生物因素。此外，我们强调了这些系统的动态性质，特别是当它们受到环境中小规模和大规模人为变化的影响时。尽管已经对蜱虫及其传播的疾病进行了大量研究，但该系统的动态性意味着不断出现新的因素，这些因素会改变特定地区的流行病学模式。因此，我们认为需要开展更详细、长期（即至少 10 年）的多学科研究，以确定为什么以及如何发生这些模式转变，并确定其对公共卫生的意义。
