The participatory research awardCrowdsourcing category, was awarded today March 4 to the program CiTIC. This prize was launched by Inrae in 2021, at the initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. It highlights research projects in which are engaged scientists and non-scientists.
Since 2017, the CiTIQUE program has invited the general public to report tick bites in the Signalement-Tique application and to send the collected ticks to the research team. This program is supported by Inrae, ANSES, the University of Lorraine and the Nancy-Champenoux Permanent Center for Environmental Initiatives. Thus, the joint research unit BIPAR, associating ANSES, Inrae and the National Veterinary School of Alfort (ENVA), participates in the program by identifying pathogens (viruses and bacteria) carried by the collected ticks.
More information on ticks thanks to the participation of all
The objective of CiTIQUE is to better understand the ecology of ticks, to prevent the diseases they transmit, including Lyme disease. Citizen participation allows for massive collection of information and ticks. The data collected in this way makes it possible to know where and when the bites take place. Collected ticks are studied by scientists to identify their species and find out what pathogens they carry. The program gave rise to the associated Tiquojardin project, in which the ANSES Rabies laboratory and Nancy wildlife laboratory participate. This project specifically aims to better understand the risk associated with ticks in gardens, and follows the result of the CiTIQUE program showing that more than a quarter reported bites occur in these spaces.