Speaker at “Let’s Talk Ticks” in Venice

Our team took part in Let's Talk Ticks. A conference beyond the limits of disciplines and academia, held at Ca' Foscari University of Venice on 2 September 2025. The contribution was a joint presentation entitled Taxonomical changes in ticks: practical relevance in human and veterinary health, delivered together with David Modrý.

The talk addressed the practical implications of tick taxonomy for both human and veterinary medicine, with a focus on how taxonomical changes influence scientific communication, medical and veterinary practice, regulatory processes, and epidemiological interpretation. It also examined the relevance of correct species identification in applied contexts, including surveillance, citizen science, and the evaluation of parasite distribution and risk.

A central message of the presentation was that taxonomy is not a purely theoretical exercise. Changes in species names and classifications can have direct consequences for clinicians, researchers, and regulatory frameworks, especially when dealing with vectors of major medical and veterinary importance. In this sense, the lecture argued for a more practical and scientifically robust use of taxonomic terminology in health-related contexts.