Eco-epidemiology of sylvatic tick borne zoonoses

The emergence of a number tick-borne zoonoses is of increasing concern for public health (PH) worldwide. Those with higher PH impact in Europe include Lyme borreliosis (LB), tick borne encephalitis (TBE), anaplasmosis ( HGA), several rickettsiosis and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF). The observed recent increase in human cases is dependent over several factors which span from spatial and temporal variation in human exposure to infected ticks to real changes in the acarological risk as consequence of the effect of many combined ecological factors. Among abiotic factors, climate and land use changes are considered among the most important drivers. The increase in mean temperature and precipitation along with the expansion of vegetation coverage and forest productivity in Europe, have offered the opportunity for an increase in habitat suitability both for the vectors and the major pathogens reservoirs. Among biotic factors, changes in biodiversity and wildlife community composition driven also by game management , increased contact between wildlife and domesticated animals, has favored the creation of hot-spots of disease transmission. In this presentation the eco-epidemiology of these major TBDs will be presented and implication for risk assessment and disease prevention and control analysed. Finally, the relevance of veterinary eco-epidemiological research for public health will be discussed.