In Europe, Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are the two vector-borne diseases with the largest impact on human health. Based on data on the density of host-seeking Ixodes ricinus ticks and pathogen prevalence and using a variety of environmental data, we have created an acarological risk model for a region where both diseases are endemic (Czech Republic-South Bohemia and Germany-Lower Bavaria, Upper Palatinate). The data on tick density were acquired by flagging 50 sampling sites three times in a single season. Prevalence of the causative agents of LB and TBE was determined. Data on environmental variables (e.g., altitude, vegetation cover, NDVI, land surface temperature) were obtained from various sources and processed using geographical information systems. Generalized linear models were used to estimate tick density, probability of tick infection, and density of infected ticks for the whole area. A significantly higher incidence of human TBE cases was recorded in South Bohemia compared to Bavarian regions, which correlated with a lower tick density in Bavaria. However, the differences in pathogen prevalence rates were not significant. The model outputs were made available to the public in the form of risk maps, indicating the distribution of tick-borne disease risk in space.

• Keywords
• Ixodes ricinus, Lyme borreliosis, geographical information systems, risk modeling, tick, tick-borne encephalitis,
• MeSH
• Geographic Information Systems MeSH
• Incidence MeSH
• Ixodes microbiology   MeSH
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne epidemiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Lyme Disease epidemiology   MeSH
• Altitude MeSH
• Probability MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Europe MeSH
• Germany epidemiology   MeSH

An analysis of historical data on Lyme borreliosis in Central Bohemia between 1987-2010 has revealed that the rate of peri-domestic exposure, the proximity of patients' residences to high-risk habitats, and the number of disease cases have been interdependent variables and that their common upturn can be dated back to the start of the 1990s or earlier. The data indicate that the disease rise is attributable to translocation of part of the at-risk population nearer to natural environments, rather than to mere intensification of people's peri-domestic exposure at existing residential locations, or changes in the natural environment itself.

• Keywords
• Lyme borreliosis, at-risk population, counter-urbanization, disease emergence, migration, residential exposure,
• MeSH
• Ecosystem * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Lyme Disease epidemiology   MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

Tick-borne diseases represent major public and animal health issues worldwide. Ixodes ricinus, primarily associated with deciduous and mixed forests, is the principal vector of causative agents of viral, bacterial, and protozoan zoonotic diseases in Europe. Recently, abundant tick populations have been observed in European urban green areas, which are of public health relevance due to the exposure of humans and domesticated animals to potentially infected ticks. In urban habitats, small and medium-sized mammals, birds, companion animals (dogs and cats), and larger mammals (roe deer and wild boar) play a role in maintenance of tick populations and as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens. Presence of ticks infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus and high prevalence of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., causing Lyme borreliosis, have been reported from urbanized areas in Europe. Emerging pathogens, including bacteria of the order Rickettsiales (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis," Rickettsia helvetica, and R. monacensis), Borrelia miyamotoi, and protozoans (Babesia divergens, B. venatorum, and B. microti) have also been detected in urban tick populations. Understanding the ecology of ticks and their associations with hosts in a European urbanized environment is crucial to quantify parameters necessary for risk pre-assessment and identification of public health strategies for control and prevention of tick-borne diseases.

• Keywords
• Europe, Ixodes ricinus, tick-borne pathogens, ticks, urban habitats,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH