Modelling the distribution of the tick Ixodes ricinus in England and Wales using passive surveillance data from citizen science reports.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ticks are a significant cause of illness globally. The tick Ixodes ricinus is commonly found across Europe and is a significant vector of Tick-Borne Encephalitis virus (TBEv), Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (causative agent of Lyme borreliosis), Babesia divergens, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and several Rickettsia bacteria, among others.

Methods

The Tick Surveillance Scheme (TSS) administered by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) contains validated reports from the general public of tick encounters over the last twenty years. We modelled the probability of I. ricinus tick presence across England and Wales using the locations of TSS reports from 2013 to 2023 and a combination of biotic and abiotic factors. An ensemble of statistical and machine learning models was tra

SUBMITTER: Burdon MG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12533967 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature