Background: TIBOLA (TIck-BOrne LymphAdenopathy) is a tick-borne disease transmitted by Dermacentor ticks and is usually caused by Rickettsia. In 2021, clinicians in northeastern France reported an increase in TIBOLA cases.
Methods: This entomo-clinical, multicenter, retrospective, and observational study aimed to describe the evolution of the number of TIBOLA cases between 2016 and 2021 in northeastern France as well as the evolution of the Dermacentor tick population.
Results: A total of 35 cases of TIBOLA were identified, 16 of which occurred in 2021, with clear predominance in April and May. A longitudinal study performed in the Alsace region (endemic for ticks and tick-borne diseases) revealed a peak in tick activity in 2021. A trend toward an increase in TIBOLA cases in 2021 in the northeastern region of France was observed, as was an increase in the Dermacentor tick population in some biotopes.
Conclusions: TIBOLA appears to be an emerging disease that should be monitored, as should the Dermacentor population.