Investigation of tick bites in outpatients with fever from health care facilities in Tengchong County

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of tick bites and relative factors of outpatients with fever from health care facilities in Tengchong County. METHODS: From July to August, 2014, the outpatients with fever in five health care facilities namely Tengchong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hehua Health Center, Jietou Health Center, Qushi Health Center and Xinhua Health Center were investigated by questionnaires. The factors related to tick bites were explored with the univariate analysis and multiple regression models. RESULTS: Totally 884 effect questionnaires were acquired. Among the 884 participants, 85 (9.6%) had experienced tick bites. The frequency of tick bites was associated with locations, gender, age group, ownership of cattle, working at foreign country, firewood cutting and lumbering in the forest (all P < 0.05). The multiple regression revealed that the male and people raising cattle, working at foreign country, engaging in firewood cutting and lumbering in the forest had a more risk for tick bites. CONCLUSIONS: Tick bites are common in the residents of Tengchong County. The risk of being bitten varies in different populations. The local health departments should promote health education in the high-risk population to reduce the risk of infecting tick-borne diseases.