Scouts, forests, and ticks: Impact of landscapes on human-tick contacts

Just as with forest workers or people practicing outdoor recreational activities, scouts are at high risk for tick bites and tick-bome infections. The risk of a tick bite is shaped not only by environmental and climatic factors but also by land managemenÈ The aim of this studywas to assess which environmental conditions favour scout-tick contacts, and thus to better understand how these factors and their interactions inlluence the two components ofrisk: hazard(related to vector and host ecology) and exposure of humans to disease vectors. A survey was conducted in the summer of 2dXt on the incidence of tick bites in scout câmps taking place in southem Belgium. Joint effects of landscape composition and configuration,weather, climate, forest and wildlife management wene examined using a multiple gamma regression with a log link The landscape was characterized by buffers ofvarying sizes around the camps using â detailed land use map, and accounting for climate and weathervariables. landscepe composition and configuration had a significant influence on scout-tick contacts: the risk was high when the camp was surrounded by a low proportion ofarable land and situated in a complex and fragmented landscape. The distance to the nearest forest patch, the composition of the forest ecotone as well as weather and climatic factors were all significantly associated with scout-tick contacts, Both hazard- and exposurerelated variables significantly contributed to the frequency of scout-tick contacL Our results show thet environmental conditions favour scout-tick contacts. For example, we emphasize the impact ofaccessibility of environments suitable for ticks on the risk of contact. We also highlight the significant efiect of both hazard and exposure. Our results are consistent with current knowledge, but further investigations on the effect offorest management, e.g. through its impact on forest struchrre, on the tick-host-pathogen system, and on humans exposure, is required.

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de Keukeleire, M., Vanwambeke, S., Somassè, E., Kabamba-Mukadi, B., Luyasu, V., & Robert, A. (2015). Scouts, forests, and ticks: Impact of landscapes on human-tick contacts. Journal of Spirochetal and Tick-borne Diseases, 6(5), 636-644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.05.008 (Original work published 2015)