{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,24]],"date-time":"2026-10-24T00:59:22Z","timestamp":1792803562068,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]],"date-time":"2025-09-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758067200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Associa\u00e7\u00e3o Cognitaria Vasco da Gama","award":["UIDB\/00772\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00772\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia (FCT)","award":["UIDB\/00772\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00772\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lyme borreliosis (LB), a zoonotic disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and transmitted by Ixodes ricinus, is increasingly relevant in France, yet data on public awareness and prevention are limited. This cross-sectional study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of companion-animal owners (CAOs) and veterinarians regarding LB. Online questionnaires were distributed between January and April 2023, yielding 159 valid CAO responses and 48 responses from veterinarians. Among owners, 95% reported outdoor access for their pets, 73.9% had observed ticks, and 88.8% used ectoparasiticides. However, only 16.4% reported LB vaccination, and just 38% recognized key canine clinical signs. Veterinarians frequently suspected LB (70%) but confirmed diagnoses less often (39.6%), relying mainly on clinical signs and the results of rapid tests. While prevention through antiparasitic use was common, communication between veterinarians and owners regarding LB was inconsistent. Despite this, most owners reported compliance with veterinary guidance. These findings reveal good preventive habits but identify knowledge gaps and underdiagnosis. Enhancing veterinary\u2013client communication and promoting a One Health approach could improve LB prevention and control in France.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biology14091286","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]],"date-time":"2025-09-17T13:03:02Z","timestamp":1758114182000},"page":"1286","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Challenge of Lyme Borreliosis: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in France"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Cynthia","family":"Philibert","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida Jos\u00e9 R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordem\u00e3o, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1300-4487","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joana","family":"Ferrolho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vasco da Gama Research Centre (CIVG), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida Jos\u00e9 R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordem\u00e3o, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9732-8915","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mark S.","family":"Gibson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vasco da Gama Research Centre (CIVG), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida Jos\u00e9 R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordem\u00e3o, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6982-6466","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"S\u00e9rgio","family":"Ramalho de Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vasco da Gama Research Centre (CIVG), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida Jos\u00e9 R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordem\u00e3o, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3976-1619","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hugo","family":"Vilhena","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vasco da Gama Research Centre (CIVG), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida Jos\u00e9 R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordem\u00e3o, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Veterinary Clinics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, ICBAS-UP, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science\u2014AL4AnimalS, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0916-2044","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sofia","family":"Anast\u00e1cio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vasco da Gama Research Centre (CIVG), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida Jos\u00e9 R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordem\u00e3o, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal"},{"name":"Center of Neurosciences and Cell Biology, Health Science Campus, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.4267\/2042\/70153","article-title":"La maladie de Lyme chez le chien","volume":"171","author":"Boulouis","year":"2018","journal-title":"Bull. L\u2019acad\u00e9mie V\u00e9t\u00e9rinaire Fr."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"48","article-title":"La borr\u00e9liose de Lyme chez le chien et chez le chat","volume":"36","author":"Halos","year":"2005","journal-title":"Le Point V\u00e9t\u00e9rinaire"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Wortinger, A. (2021). Lyme Disease in Dogs. 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