Interspecific differences in the behavioral response of ticks exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation.
Miroslav Baňas, Lívia Šofranková, Juraj Kurimský, Marek Pavlík, Mário Pikalík, Viktória Majláthová, Roman Cimbala, Natália Pipová, Liliana Wurfl, Igor Majláth
Author Information
Miroslav Baňas: Institute of biology and ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 80, Slovak Republic.
Lívia Šofranková: Institute of biology and ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 80, Slovak Republic.
Juraj Kurimský: Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Technical University of Kosice, Masiarska 74, Kosice, 041 20, Slovak Republic. ORCID
Marek Pavlík: Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Technical University of Kosice, Masiarska 74, Kosice, 041 20, Slovak Republic. ORCID
Mário Pikalík: Institute of biology and ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 80, Slovak Republic.
Viktória Majláthová: Institute of biology and ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 80, Slovak Republic. viktoria.majlathova@upjs.sk. ORCID
Roman Cimbala: Department of Electrical Power Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Technical University of Kosice, Masiarska 74, Kosice, 041 20, Slovak Republic. ORCID
Natália Pipová: Institute of biology and ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 80, Slovak Republic. ORCID
Liliana Wurfl: Boston Children´s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Igor Majláth: Institute of biology and ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Srobarova 2, Kosice, 041 80, Slovak Republic. ORCID
Artificial electromagnetic radiation is a new environmental factor that affects animals. Experiments with the effect of radio frequency electromagnetic radiation were focused on both vertebrates and invertebrates. Ticks showed a significant affinity to radiation. Our study is a continuation of this research and its aim was to monitor the effect of radiation on the behavior of four tick species: Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis inermis. In total 1,200 ticks, 300 of each species, were tested in modules allowing the choice of an exposed or shielded area. During the test, the ticks were exposed to electro-magnetic radiation of 900 MHz for 24 h. The position of the individuals was recorded and we evaluated the obtained data statistically. We observed a significant preference to the exposed area in both sexes of I. ricinus. Males of D. reticulatus and D. marginatus also showed an affinity to radiation, but not females of both species, nor females and males of H. inermis. The results of the study support the assumption that ticks perceive the electromagnetic field and the observed differences in their response have the potential to help understand the mechanism of perception.
