SINGAPORE – Hidden in leaf litter near wildlife corridors, a poorly known threat to public health lies in wait for hikers, cyclists and dog owners frequenting Singapore’s green spaces.
These spots are ideal for bead-size parasites called ticks, which can transmit diseases as they latch on to humans and feed on their blood.
While Singapore does not require doctors to report tick bites or tick-borne diseases, a recent study has learnt that all 11 species of ticks found to have bitten humans in the island state between 2002 and 2023 are capable of carrying one or more harmful microbes.