2023-06-14 07:59:32
Better understanding the ecology of ticks and the diseases they can transmit was the subject of the participatory research program launched in 2017 by INRAE. Every citizen was able to participate by reporting tick bites on humans and animals, detailing the region and the circumstances of the bite. Thanks to all of this data, a website has been developed and is now accessible to everyone. Explanations.
A participatory research program on ticks
In 2017, INRAE researchers launched a participatory research programbaptized CiTIC. Since then, researchers have been collecting data transmitted by all citizens who report a tick bite on a human or animal. The objective of this program is to increase knowledge on the ecology of ticks and the diseases they transmit in order to improve preventive actions. Citizens can also send the tick removed from the skin to researchers for further analysis, such as identification of the species or the presence of pathogenic bacteria.
The researchers compiled all the data and developed a website now accessible to all, the CiTIQUE-TRACKER website.
- Citizens, who can continue to report tick bites all over France;
- The Regional Health Agencies (ARS);
- Researchers ;
- The communities
- Associations.
A wealth of information is available, including the regions most affected by tick bites.
Two regions particularly affected by ticks
The data reveals some interesting findings, including an increased risk of being bitten at nearby sites. Generally, walkers and hikers think of protecting themselves when they go hiking. long walks in the forest or some multi-day hikes in the mountainsbut they take fewer precautions in places close to home, such as:
- Parks ;
- Gardens ;
- At home.
And yet the risk is not zero, and many stings are observed, for example, in the school activity framework !
On the CiTIQUE-TRACKER site, four tabs are accessible and allow you to highlight regional, seasonal and annual disparities in tick bites in France. The risk varies markedly between regions, seasonally, and from year to year. The site is updated every month, allowing data to be updated. It is therefore possible to consult the site regularly to find out whether his region or his vacation spot are sites at high risk of sting or not. In general, the two most affected French regions are the Grand-Est and Auvergne-Rhône Alpes.
Remember to report bites to enrich the site!
At the same time, the researchers want citizens to continue participating in the program by reporting tick bites. In particular, they found that young people aged 15 to 25 knew little regarding the program and rarely reported. Conversely, reports are very numerous for children under 10 years old, demonstrating the importance of raising parental awareness of the risk of tick bites. Parents should monitor their child’s skin all over the body for possible bites.
This monitoring is essential to spot the tick as soon as possible and remove it. The faster it is removed – and only with a tick remover – less risk of transmission of a disease such as Lyme disease is important. A disease that causes between 25,000 and 68,000 cases per year depending on the year.
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
Sources
1686997177
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