Implementation of preventive measures against tick-borne infections in a non-endemic area for tick-borne encephalitis-Results from a population-based survey in Lower Saxony, Germany

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases
Mahrrouz CaputoAndré Karch

Abstract

Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are the most common tick-borne diseases in Germany. While for LB only non-specific prevention strategies exist, TBE can be additionally prevented by vaccination. It is unclear to which extent non-specific prevention strategies are applied by individuals living in non-endemic areas for TBE in Germany, and whether TBE vaccination status affects their implementation. Participants of the HaBIDS panel (Hygiene and Behavior Infectious Diseases Study) from four counties of Lower Saxony were invited to fill out a questionnaire on their TBE vaccination status, their LB diagnoses as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to prevention measures for tick-borne diseases. Based on self-reported data we estimated cumulative lifetime incidence (CUM) and incidence of LB as well as TBE vaccination coverage. One year later, participants received a supplementary questionnaire focusing on reasons for vaccination against TBE and compliance with the vaccination schedule. 1,573 (74.2% of those invited) panel members aged 18-69 years participated in this study. Of these, 22.8% reported to have ever been vaccinated against TBE. The estimated CUM of LB was 5.1% (95%-CI: 4.1%-6.4%),...Continue Reading

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