Estimating Infected Blacklegged Tick Encounters Among Outdoor Workers in Minnesota.

ABSTRACT: Outdoor workers are at increased risk of tick-borne diseases, yet we poorly understand the interaction between occupational risk factors and worker behavior. This study integrates active tick surveillance with worker-reported survey data to assess how occupational behaviors, demographic characteristics, and tick-prevention knowledge influence exposure to infected ticks. We collected blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) from three Minnesota counties to determine the infection prevalence and density of infected ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Molecular surveillance was coupled with outdoor worker surveys that ascertained exposure characteristics to model individual-specific probabilities of encountering infected ticks during their job responsibilities. From May

SUBMITTER: Cassens J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12932337 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature