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Background: Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common reported tick-borne infection in Europe, and involves transmission of Borrelia by ticks. As long as a vaccine is not available and effective measures for controlling tick populations are insufficient, LB control is focused on preventive measures to avoid tick bites. To inform citizens about the risk of ticks, motivate them to check for tick bites, and encourage them to remove any attached tick as quickly as possible, a mobile app called 'Tekenbeet' (Dutch for 'tick bite') was developed and released. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usage and user satisfaction of the 'Tekenbeet' app and to investigate whether it affects users' knowledge, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, response efficacy, current behavior and intention to comply with preventive measures.Methods: Usage of the app was evaluated with data obtained from Google Analytics. A survey among the Dutch general adult population with two data collection periods evaluated the usage, user satisfaction and its influence on abovementioned outcomes.Results: Data obtained from Google Analytics showed the app was downloaded almost 40,000 in the 20 months following the launch. The 'tick radar' and 'tick diary' screens were viewed most often. In addition, a total of 554 respondents completed an online survey. The mean user satisfaction score was 7.44 (on a scale of 1-10) and 90.9% of respondents would recommend the app to others. On average, survey respondents who downloaded the app (n = 243) recorded significantly more often higher knowledge scores (OR 3.37; 95% CI 2.02-5.09) and had a higher intention to comply with preventive measures (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.22-5.85) compared to respondents who did not download the app (n = 311).Conclusions: The 'Tekenbeet' app is a frequently used and well-appreciated educational tool to increase public knowledge of ticks and tick bites. It also helps to improve the user's intention to apply preventive measures. The use of smartphones and apps is now commonplace in the Netherlands; the 'Tekenbeet' app feeds into this trend and thereby offers a modern day alternative to established formats such as an information leaflet and information provision on the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) was first reported in China in 2011. Human-to-human transmission of the virus occurred occasionally in family clusters. However, pneumonia as an onset syndrome was not common in most SFTS cases. Our aim is to report a family cluster of SFTS with clinical manifestation of pneumonia in Shanghai.Methods: Epidemiologic investigations were conducted when a family cluster of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infection was identified in Shanghai in June 2016. Samples were collected from two secondary cases and two close contacts with fever. SFTSV was detected by Real-Time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results: There were two confirmed STFS cases and one potential index case. The potential index case became ill on 21 May and died on 31 May. Case A had onset from 4 to 23 June and case B from 8 June to 25 June. All the three cases experienced pneumonia at the early stage of SFTSV infection. Three (3) out of thirty two (32) close contacts had symptoms of fever or cough but were detected STFSV negative by real-time RT-PCR. According to epidemiologic investigations, the potential index case had outdoor activities on a nearby hill. A tick bite could have been the reason for the SFTSV infection in the potential index case as ticks were found both in grassland or shrubs on the hill and also found on mice caught in her house. Both cases A and B had provided bedside care for the potential index case without any protection and had contacted with blood and other body fluids.Conclusion: It was a family cluster of SFTSV infection imported from Jiangsu province located in the east of China. We suggested to become alert to atypical SFTSV infected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ever since Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever [CCHF] discovered in India, several outbreaks of this disease have been recorded in Gujarat State, India. During the year 2011 to 2015 several districts of Gujarat and Rajasthan state (Sirohi) found to be affected with CCHF including the positivity among ticks and livestock. During these years many infected individuals succumbed to this disease; which subsequently led to nosocomial infections. Herein, we report CCHF cases recorded from Rajasthan state during January 2015. This has affected four individuals apparently associated with one suspected CCHF case admitted in a private hospital in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Case presentation: A 30-year-old male was hospitalized in a private hospital in Jodhpur, Rajasthan State, who subsequently had developed thrombocytopenia and showed hemorrhagic manifestations and died in the hospital. Later on, four nursing staff from the same hospital also developed the similar symptoms (Index case and Case A, B, C). Index case succumbed to the disease in the hospital at Jodhpur followed by the death of the case A that was shifted to AIIMS hospital, Delhi due to clinical deterioration. Blood samples of the index case and Case A, B, C were referred to the National institute of Virology, Pune, India for CCHF diagnosis from the different hospitals in Rajasthan, Delhi and Gujarat. However, a sample of deceased suspected CCHF case was not referred. Subsequently, blood samples of 5 nursing staff and 37 contacts (Case D was one of them) from Pokhran area, Jaisalmer district were referred to NIV, Pune. Conclusions: It clearly indicated that nursing staff acquired a nosocomial infection while attending the suspected CCHF case in an Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Jodhpur. However, one case was confirmed from the Pokhran area where the suspected CCHF case was residing. This case might have got the infection from suspected CCHF case or through other routes. CCHF strain associated with these nosocomial infections shares the highest identity with Afghanistan strain and its recent introduction from Afghanistan cannot be ruled out. However, lack of active surveillance, unawareness among health care workers leads to such nosocomial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The studies on the occurrence and diversity of tick-borne infections in HIV-infected individuals have been few, and the subject has been relatively neglected when compared with other common infections associated with HIV. In HIV-positive patients in whom a serological diagnostics is complicated due to reduced positive predictive value, a method where the microorganism is detected directly is of great value. Therefore, we performed a molecular study to ascertain the prevalence and incidence of tick-borne infections in HIV-infected persons in Poland, an endemic area for Ixodes ricinus ticks.Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood of tested patients. Detection of tick-borne pathogens was performed by amplification and sequencing of different loci. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of obtained nucleotide sequences were performed. Serum samples were analyzed for antibodies against tick-borne pathogens by using commercial tests in all patients.Results: Among 148 studied blood samples from HIV-infected patients, two cases (1.4%) of infection with tick-borne pathogen were reported. No symptoms of tick-borne infection were observed in these cases. In one case a patient was infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum - the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) and in the other with Borrelia garinii.Conclusions: Our study revealed the first case of HIV positive patient infected with A. phagocytophilum. Asymptomatic tick-borne infection can occur in HIV-positive patients. The detailed history of tick bites, especially in endemic tick areas, should be considered as part of anamnesis in routine clinical care of HIV-positive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]