Tick-borne diseases agents in humans and current situation in Turkey

Vectors and vector-borne diseases agents cause significant problems. Ticks are blood feeding vectors on many living creatures such as mammals, birds and reptiles. Ticks can transmit up to 200 viruses, bacteria, rickettsia, spirochetes, protozoa and helminth species during blood sucking. The main diseases agents that ticks transmit to humans are; Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Powassan encephalitis virus, Kyasanur forest disease virus, Colorado tick fever virus, Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Francisella tularensis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Rickettsia rickettsii. Microbial pathogens transmitted by ticks to humans in terms of caused diseases, vector, epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment were summarized in this review and current situation in Turkey presented.