Infections with Tickborne Pathogens after Tick Bite, Austria, 2015-2018.

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the risk for tickborne infections after a tick bite. A total of 489 persons bitten by 1,295 ticks were assessed for occurrence of infections with sensu lato, , spp., spp., Neoehrlichia mikurensis, and relapsing fever borreliae. s.l. infection was found in 25 (5.1%) participants, of whom 15 had erythema migrans. Eleven (2.3%) participants were positive by PCR for N. mikurensis. One asymptomatic participant infected with was identified. Full engorgement of the tick (odds ratio 9.52) and confirmation of s.l. in the tick by PCR (odds ratio 4.39) increased the risk for infection. was highly abundant in ticks but not pathogenic to humans. Knowledge about the outcome of tick bites is crucial because infections with emerging pathogens might be underestimated because of limited laboratory facilities.