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The recent interest in ticks and tick-associated diseases is justified by the seriousness of some of these diseases, and by proven changes in the distribution of tick populations due to socio-economic and environmental changes. In Europe, ticks are the main vectors of importance for human and animal health, and are responsible for transmitting viruses, bacteria and parasites. Lyme disease alone crystallises the majority of tick-related concerns, and is the subject of both societal and scientific debate. Faced with a multitude of sometimes alarmist information about the risk of contracting this disease, it is essential to think rationally and scientifically. Knowing the biology of ticks and the ways in which they may or may not transmit infectious agents is an essential asset in protecting against them.

Thesis topic: Aptamers, new tools for studying and detecting Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a strict intracellular zoonotic bacterium.