Seroprevalence of Lyme Borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in workers at risk, in eastern France

The aim of this article was to assess the seroprevalence of Lyme Borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) among occupationally exposed forest workers. Workers exposed to tick bites in Eastern France were interviewed by occupational health physicians of the mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) on their sociodemographic features, their occupational activity, their last tick bite, their clinical history, and their means of prevention. Blood sampling was carried out for antibody detection. Among the 2975 subjects included in the study, the observed seroprevalence was 14.1% for Lyme borreliosis and 3.4% for TBE. Age, occupational activity, and place of residence significantly influenced the serological status of Lyme borreliosis. The seroprevalence was significantly higher among woodcutters (17.5%) than among other occupational categories (p