Consultations in general practice related to a tick bite episode in mainland France in 2023-2024

The emergence and spread of TBDs present major challenges. Exposure to tick bites in mainland France is mainly documented through local studies or citizen science projects. According to the 2024 French national survey, about 15% bitten individuals consult a healthcare professional. National-level data from general practice are needed to better describe tick bite epidemiology.

To estimate the incidence of patients consulting general practitioners (GPs) for a tick bite and to describe their characteristics, their management and the context of the bite.

We conducted a study using the French Sentinelles network, a national surveillance system that collects data from a sample of GPs. From May 2023 to April 2024, an indicator 'Consultations with a tick bite' was added to the routine data collection, in addition to the ongoing Lyme borreliosis surveillance. National and regional incidences were estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian model incorporating spatial and temporal dependencies to account for data sparsity. A tick collection was also carried out in order to identify the ticks and analyse the pathogens they might transmit.

A total of 179 GPs participated and reported 483 consultations for a tick bite episode. The estimated national incidence was 324 cases per 100,000 population (95% CI [290; 369]) over the study period, peaking in May-June 2023. Incidence was highest in the southwestern and northeastern France. Children represented one quarter of cases and nearly half of patients consulted in general practice without clinical symptoms. Of the 86 ticks analysed, 24% tested positive for at least one of the pathogens tested.

These findings provide new insights into the epidemiology of tick bites in France and contribute to assessing population exposure to ticks, informing future prevention and public health strategies.