Ticking Time Bomb: The Escalating Threat of Tick-Borne Diseases in Rural Farming Communities

Outdoor workers, particularly farmers and farmworkers, are at increased risk for tick encounters and subsequent tick-borne disease exposure due to daily work in tick habitats. Though well studied in Europe, farmer/worker risk is not well studied in the Northeastern United States. Given the increasing incidence of tick-borne diseases throughout the Northeast population, this study sought to identify risk factors and determine perceptions of risk for tick encounters and tick-borne disease diagnoses within agricultural communities.

Snowball sampling was utilized to recruit farmers and farmworkers for the study. Participants were surveyed about risk perceptions, farm practices, tick encounters, and tick-borne disease exposure. Tick-borne disease diagnosis was tested for association with farm characteristics and individual prevention practices. Associations with tick exposure, including tick encounters and tick bites, were also tested.

A total of 53 individuals (representing 46 farms) from dairy and livestock operations in Southern Vermont were recruited for the study. Of participants, 12% reported ever being diagnosed with a tick-borne disease, and reported an average of three tick encounters over the prior 6 months (ranging from 0 to 70). There was a marginal association between grazing livestock and increased tick sightings on the farm, and participants believed their risk for tick-borne disease was higher than other occupations.

Farmers are a high-risk population, given their increased risk of exposures at worksites that are prime tick habitats. High numbers of tick encounters and perception of risk highlight the need for tick-borne disease prevention strategies to be tailored to farmers and farmworkers.