The southern region of Poland, rich in natural and tourist attractions, encourages outdoor recreation and spending time in nature. Ongoing climate change, including global warming, has contributed to an increased abundance of ticks and an extended period of their seasonal activity. Consequently, the number of tick-borne disease cases continues to rise, and their diagnosis and treatment are often challenging and prolonged. The aim of this study is to summarize current knowledge on the occurrence of ticks in tourist areas of southern Poland and to raise public health awareness among individuals engaged in tourism and recreation, particularly regarding tick presence and the tick-borne diseases they transmit. To achieve the above goal, a review of available scientific and review articles on tick fauna and their role in the transmission of tick-borne disease pathogens in southern Poland was conducted. Electronic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar were used in the literature analysis. The presence of ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes vespertilionis), Amblyommidae (Dermacentor reticulatus), and Argasidae (Argas reflexus, Argas polonicus) has been confirmed. In ticks collected from vegetation and humans in southern Poland, the presence of the following pathogens has been confirmed: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Toxoplasma gondii, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Ehrlichia chaffeensis/Ehrlichia muris, Rickettsia spp., and Coxiella burnetii, as well as various coinfections. Knowledge of tick distribution and the pathogens they transmit plays a key role in assessing the risk of human and animal exposure to tick-borne diseases. Equally important is the dissemination of information on preventive strategies and protective measures against tick bites. The presence of ticks in recreational and tourist areas underscores the need for ongoing educational activities concerning ticks and tickborne diseases in southern Poland.
Koczanowicz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.