Questing tick abundance in urban and peri-urban parks in the French city of Lyon

Laure Mathews-Martin,Sandrine Chambon-Rouvier,Séverine Barry,Sophie Pamies,Manon Namèche,Valérie Poux,Gwenaël Vourc’H,Isabelle Lebert,Karine Chalvet-Monfray,Jeremy Jachacz,Diana Sepúlveda,Gilles Bourdoiseau,Magalie René-Martellet,Sabrina Gasser,Séverine Bord

doi:10.1186/s13071-020-04451-1

Abstract

BackgroundIn Europe, ticks are responsible for the transmission of several pathogens of medical importance, including bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) complex, the agents of Lyme borreliosis. In France, the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region is considered a hot spot for human tick-borne pathogen infections, with an estimated annual rate of 156 cases of Lyme borreliosis per 100,000 inhabitants. Although several studies have assessed the abundance of ticks in rural areas, little consideration has been given thus far to urban green spaces in France.MethodsThis study aimed to estimate tick abundance in three parks, two urban (U1, U2) and one peri-urban (PU), in and around the city of Lyon (France). A forest in a rural area was used as a control (C). Tick sampling campaigns were performed in each site in April, May, June, July, and October 2019 using the dragging method. One hundred transects of 10 m2 each were randomly chosen in each park in places frequented by humans. The sampling sessions were carried out under semi-controlled abiotic conditions. Ticks were stored in 70% ethanol and identified to species and developmental stage under a light microscope using morphological keys.ResultsA total of seven ticks (nymphs and adults) were collected in the two urban parks (six in U1 and one in U2), while 499 ticks were sampled in the peri-urban park. Of the 506 ticks collected, 504 were identified as Ixodes ricinus, one as Dermacentor marginatus, and one as Ixodes frontalis. In the peri-urban park, ticks were mainly collected under the forest cover and at forest edges. Tick density under forest cover was 7.1 times higher in the control site than in the peri-urban park throughout the survey period.ConclusionsThis study confirmed the presence of ticks in all of the parks surveyed, although their occurrence in the urban parks was very rare compared to the peri-urban park and the control site. These results should serve as a basis for the implementation of preventive measures.Graphical

Highlights

In Europe, ticks are responsible for the transmission of several pathogens of medical importance, including bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) complex, the agents of Lyme borreliosis
Tick collection in parks In the three parks, surveillance campaigns were performed monthly, a few days apart, in April, May, June, July, and October 2019, when meteorological conditions fulfilled the criteria of the study design
We identified one adult male of Dermacentor marginatus and one nymph of Ixodes frontalis

Summary

Introduction

In Europe, ticks are responsible for the transmission of several pathogens of medical importance, including bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) complex, the agents of Lyme borreliosis. The implementation of this plan relies on the involvement of territorial health authorities who are responsible for the management of urban areas. These efforts could potentially be complicated by ‘re-greening’ initiatives in many cities. These actions aim to increase vegetated areas to improve the welfare of residents and enhance biodiversity levels. High tick densities in urban parks could lead to a high risk of human infection by tickborne pathogens

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