Ecological and socioeconomic factors associated with reported tick-borne viruses

Background: Public health resources are often allocated based on reported disease cases. However, for under-recognized infectious diseases such as tick-borne viruses, risk assessments should also account for ecological and socioeconomic factors that influence disease case reporting. This study identifies country-level predictors of tick-borne virus reporting and evaluates whether wealthier nations are more likely to report resource-intensive cases.

Methods: We applied boosted regression trees, a robust machine learning algorithm, to a comprehensive global database of tick-borne viruses and 24 environmental and socioeconomic variables.

Results: Countries with lower income inequality and greater expertise in veterinary, agricultural, or forestry sectors are more likely to report tick-borne virus cases. Wealthier nations with stronger institutional and professional capacity exhibit higher reporting rates, whereas countries affected by conflict or limited health infrastructure show underreporting. Climatic factors, particularly subarctic environments, also contribute to reporting likelihood, complementing the effects of socioeconomic drivers.

Conclusions: Disease reporting is shaped by both ecological context and socioeconomic capacity. Strengthening surveillance through targeted resource allocation and better integration of veterinary and public health expertise under the One Health framework could enhance global tick-borne disease mitigation. These findings provide valuable evidence to support the World Health Organization’s Global Arbovirus Initiative and emphasize the need for equitable disease surveillance across regions.