{
  "abstract": "Introduction\n\nRising tick-borne disease (TBD) cases and the geographical expansion of tick populations underscore the need for effective surveillance and public education regarding local risk. This study assessed the effectiveness of tick-check stations-self-service trailhead stations that provide tick and TBD information while allowing visitors to report trail use, tick encounters, and submit collected ticks-as a tool for tick surveillance and public education.Methods\n\nTo assess the effectiveness of tick-check stations for surveillance, we evaluated station engagement and compared tick density estimates, species composition, and sex- and life-stage distributions with those obtained through concurrent active surveillance. In addition, we compared submission numbers, and tick species, sex, and life stages to those collected through a mail-in submission system conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). To quantify feasibility, we estimated effort per tick and compared effort across simulated sampling scenarios. Finally, in-person knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) interviews were conducted at trailheads to assess baseline tick KAP and to evaluate differences between sites with and without tick-check stations.Results\n\nEngagement with tick-check stations was sustained throughout the study. Tick-check stations yielded 80 ticks, compared with 28 ticks collected through active surveillance and 28 ticks submitted through the CDPHE mail-in program. Tick-check station yield increased with underlying active-surveillance density (β = 0.378; 95% CI: 0.128-0.628; p = 0.003), while species composition, sex, and life-stage distributions were similar between the two methods. Tick-check stations and hybrid surveillance required less effort per tick than active surveillance when tick densities were low across all commute-time scenarios, with the greatest efficiency observed under high tick-station engagement. Participants who had read the tick-check station signage scored significantly higher in TBD knowledge than participants who had not (p = 0.006).Conclusion\n\nTick-check stations can provide tick density estimates comparable to active surveillance while requiring less effort in many scenarios, particularly in low-density settings. Our findings also highlight opportunities for targeted outreach to address gaps in TBD knowledge. As both a surveillance and educational tool, tick-check stations offer a sustainable approach for expanding tick monitoring in resource-limited settings.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.",
    "Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, CO, United States."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sabrina Gobran"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Caroline Fagan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Lawson Dawe"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Emma K Harris"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Christopher M Roundy"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shelby Cagle"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nicole Kelp"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Karla Saavedra-Rodriguez"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Elizabeth Hemming-Schroeder"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8sphnmbacf09n.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fpubh.2026.1919913",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13683670",
  "id": "8sphnmbacf09n",
  "issns": [
    "2296-2565"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908985",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2405|Vector-borne infectious diseases"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220833402",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13683670?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13683670",
  "pmid": "42908985",
  "published": "2026-10-07",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8sphnmbacf09n.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:14Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42908985",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908985"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:22Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fpubh.2026.1919913",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1919913/full"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2405|Vector-borne infectious diseases",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Comparison of tick surveillance approaches: utilizing trailhead tick-check stations to support tick surveillance and community education.",
  "title_text": "Comparison of tick surveillance approaches: utilizing trailhead tick-check stations to support tick surveillance and community education.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8sphnmbacf09n",
  "venue": "Frontiers in public health",
  "versions": []
}