General Manifestations of Tick-Borne Infections in the Amur Region in 2014–2023

Abstract

Introduction: Tick-borne infections (TBI) require special attention of health professionals owing to their high epidemic significance. High rates of tick bite visits are registered in Russia while the incidence rates of tick-borne diseases range dramatically across different regions of the country. Objective: To describe several features of epidemiological manifestations of tick-borne infections in the Amur Region. Materials and methods: The analysis of TBI incidence rates registered in the population of the Amur Region by disease, age, sex, and administrative area was based on data of statistical observation forms No. 1, 2 “Information about infectious and parasitic diseases” and annual state reports on sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population of the Amur Region for the years 2014 to 2023. Annual rates of tick bite visits and frequency of pathogen detection in the removed ticks were calculated. Statistical data analysis was carried out in Excel 2013. Results: Epidemiological analysis revealed a trend towards a decrease in TBI incidence from 4.81 %000 in 2014 to 0.26 %000 in 2021; predominance of tick-borne rickettsiosis (56.77 %; 95 % CI: 48.98–64.57 %) in the structure of long-term incidence of the regional population; registration of most disease cases in steppe landscape zones (57.42 %; 95 % CI: 48.38–66.46 %) and among the adult population (85.81 %; 95 % CI: 80.32–91.30 %); a statistical correlation between tick bite visits and TBI prevalence (r = 0.64) and ixodid tick-borne borreliosis (r = 0.82), as well as the correlation between the incidence of ixodid tick-borne borreliosis and the frequency of detecting borrelia in ticks removed from patients (r = 0.677). Conclusion: Further development of the TBI situation in the Amur Region will be defined by changes in forest cover area related to both anthropogenic transformations and natural emergencies.