Assessing the risk of tick bites and effectiveness of protective measures in northeastern China

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. In northeastern China, tick-borne diseases pose a major public health challenge, which is exacerbated by environmental and anthropogenic changes. This study was aimed at assessing the risk of tick bites and the effectiveness of protective measures in an endemic region, and investigating the influences of socio-demographic, behavioral, and landscape factors.

A comprehensive online survey was conducted among 3000 participants from Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Jilin provinces between July and August 2022. Data on self-reported tick bites, protective measures, and associated socio-demographic characteristics were gathered. Landscape analysis was conducted with satellite imagery, and the Shannon diversity index (SHDI) and forest patch density (PD) were selected to quantify landscape factors. Factors influencing tick bite incidence were identified with a logistic regression model, and linkages between landscape characteristics and exposure risk were assessed with spatial statistics.

Twenty-one percent of respondents reported experiencing tick bites, primarily during the active tick season (May to October). The self-reported incidence of tick-borne diseases (e.g., tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), Lyme disease (LD), and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS)) varied across provinces, and notable socio-demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, occupation, and lifestyle) associated with tick exposure were identified. Adoption of protective measures was high (80.3%) among the surveyed population, particularly among those who had previously experienced tick bites. Landscape analysis revealed an inverse relationship between land use diversity and tick bite incidence, thus suggesting that areas with lower land use diversity might have higher tick bite risk.

The study highlights the multifaceted nature of tick-borne disease risk in northeastern China and the importance of integrated strategies encompassing awareness, behavioral change, and environmental management to decrease tick exposure and prevent disease transmission. These insights might assist public health authorities in developing targeted interventions to combat the spread of tick-borne diseases in the region.