OBJECTIVES: Lyme borreliosis is a tick-borne disease of increasing incidence and public concern. Our cross-sectional study was aimed at evaluating seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in a group of respondents from Eastern Slovakia. METHODS: In total, 515 blood samples collected in 2013-2016 were analysed with NovaLisaTM, NovaTec - Borrelia IgG/IgM kit (Immunodiagnostica, Dietzenbach, Germany). Positive and equivocal IgG-antibody results were further examined with immunoblotting (LYMECHECK® OPTIMA IgG and IgM kits, BIOSYNEX, France). Data detected by serological methods were matched with those obtained from a questionnaire. Differences between groups by residence/seropositivity were tested by χ2 test. The effect of socio-demographic and risk factors on seropositivity of IgG antibodies was assessed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: IgG antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi were detected in 67 cases (13.01%) and IgM antibodies in 40 cases (7.8%). Previous tick bite had been noted in 67.2% of these seropositive individuals. Higher seropositivity was observed in men and persons aged over 61 years. Rural residents had higher seropositivity (39%) than those living in urban (29%) areas. Very few of these seropositive persons reported prior symptoms. CONCLUSION: The study reveals that IgG-seropositivity for Borrelia burgdorferi in Eastern Slovakia is predominant in men and occurs mainly in rural areas. The findings also suggest that exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi (with subsequent antibody response in serum) does occur, mostly without giving rise to clinical Lyme borreliosis.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi * MeSH
• Borrelia * MeSH
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• imunoglobulin M MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymeská nemoc * epidemiologie   MeSH
• protilátky bakteriální MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

Cieľ: Cieľom tejto séroepidemiologickej štúdie bolo zistiť súčasnú prevalenciu protilátok proti Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s. l.) a proti vírusu kliešťovej encefalitídy (TBEV) v populácii východného Slovenska a vyhodnotiť rizikové faktory spojené so séropozitivitou. Metódy: Vzorky séra s vyplnenými dotazníkmi, ktoré sa použili na analýzu rizikových faktorov, sme získali od 275 osôb (zdravé osoby s možnou pracovnou expozíciou kliešťom a častými voľnočasovými aktivitami v prírode a pacienti s rôznymi diagnózami). Vyšetrovaný súbor tvorilo 108 (39,3 %) mužov a 167 (60,7 %) žien. Séra sa testovali ELISA testom a immunoblotovým testom (IB). Počas analýzy sme pomocou logistickej regresie interpretovali asociáciu medzi vybranými premennými. Výsledky: Skríningový ELISA test na B. burgdorferi s. l. odhalil 18,2 % pozitívnych vzoriek na anti-B. burgdorferi s. l. IgG a immunoblot, ktorý sa vykonal pre pozitívne a hraničné vzorky IgG, bol pozitívny v 15,3 %. Pozitívne protilátky triedy IgM sa našli u 9,1 % skúmanej populácie. Zistili sme 0,4 % séropozitivitu IgG a 1,1 % pozitívnych protilátok IgM proti TBEV. Naše výsledky tiež potvrdili, že nasledujúce rizikové faktory, ako je bydlisko, časté vonkajšie aktivity a vlastníctvo zvierat sú významne spojené s vyššou prevalenciou špecifických protilátok. Záver: Výsledky vyššej séroprevalencie v sledovanom súbore potvrdzujú možnosť infekcie B. burgdorferi s. l. a TBEV u respondentov vystavených kontaktu s kliešťami.

Objective: The aim of this seroepidemiological study was to determine the current prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s. l.) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) among the population of Eastern Slovakia and to evaluate risk factors associated with seropositivity. Methods: Serum samples with completed questionnaires used for the risk factor analysis were obtained from 275 persons (healthy persons with possible working exposure to tick and outdoor activities and patients from different clinical departments). The set of respondents consisted of 108 (39.3%) men and 167 (60.7%) women. Sera were tested with ELISA and immunoblot assay (IB). During the analysis, we used logistic regression to interpret the influence between selected variables. Results: The B. burgdorferi screening ELISA test revealed 18.2% positive samples for anti-B. burgdorferi s. l. IgG. The immunoblot, which was performed for the positive and borderline IgG samples, was positive in 15.3%. Positive antibodies of the IgM class were found in 9.1% of the population under study. We detected 0.4% seropositivity of IgG and 1.1% of positive IgM antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus. Our results also confirmed that the following risk factors, such as residence, frequent outdoor activities, and pet ownership are significantly associated with the prevalence of specific antibodies. Conclusion: The results of seroprevalence obtained in the present study confirm the possibility of infection with B. burgdorferi and TBEV among respondents exposed to contact with ticks.

OBJECTIVE: Lyme disease (LD) is chronic, multi-system zoonosis transmitted by ticks, and LD aetiological agents are spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The aim of the cross-sectional study was to analyze the LD incidence on the basis of the presence of specific antibodies in the serum of patients in Eastern Slovakia, and to compare the results of serological ELISA and immunoblot assays. METHODS: Venous blood with questionnaires was obtained by field sampling of respondents from Eastern Slovakia. Overall, we examined 537 human sera by the ELISA and for confirmation we tested all positive IgG antibodies against the Borrelia immunoblot assay. RESULTS: Our results confirmed the high serum prevalence of anti-Borrelia antibodies (17.9% for IgG), while the immunoblot seropositive test was confirmed in 69.8% of responders from ELISA IgG positive sera. Positive antibodies of the IgM class were found in 7.6% of the population under study. Most commonly found were antibodies against VlsE (80.2%), p41 (66.7%), p18 (56.3%), p100 (41.7%), p58 (31.3%), and p39 (30.2%). CONCLUSION: It should be noted that detection of antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. is only an indirect evidence of the presence of this bacterium in the development of clinical signs of LD in humans. Laboratory LD tests should be performed in accordance with valid standards, positive and uncertain results must be confirmed by the Western Blot/Immunoblot assay.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi komplex klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi imunologie   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• imunoglobulin M krev   MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymeská nemoc krev   diagnóza   epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• protilátky bakteriální krev   MeSH
• protilátky virové krev   MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the presented cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was to determine the current presence of antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. in the groups of Slovak population, and to identify potential risk factors to Lyme borreliosis. METHODS: A group of 261 adults (patients from the Neurological Clinic with possible symptoms of LB and healthy persons with possible working exposure to tick bite: gardeners and soldiers working in afforested areas) were examined in order to assess the seroprevalence of anti-Borrelia antibodies. Sera were screened by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The respondents completed questionnaires with general demographic, epidemiological and clinical data. RESULTS: We detected 17.2% presence of positive IgG and 5.7% presence of positive IgM antibodies in all investigated groups. Our results confirmed that the following risk factors such as age and gender are significantly associated with the presence of positive specific antibodies against investigated disease. CONCLUSION: The results of seroprevalence obtained in the present study confirm the possibility of infection with B. burgdorferi among respondents exposed to contact with ticks.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• imunoglobulin M krev   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymeská nemoc krev   diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• protilátky bakteriální krev   MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this seroepidemiological study was to determine the current prevalence of antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in the representative group of Slovak population with included potential risk factors for TBEV. METHODS: Representative group consisted of 428 persons (also with possible exposure to risk factors for tick bite or raw milk consumption). Serum samples were screened by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The persons involved in the study completed questionnaires with general demographic, epidemiological and clinical data. During the analysis, we used linear regression to interpret the influence between selected variables. RESULTS: We detected 1.2% prevalence of positive IgG and 1.6% prevalence of positive IgM antibodies in all tested groups. Our results also confirmed that the following risk factors such as tourism, hunting, fishing, and consumption of raw milk are significantly associated with the prevalence of specific antibodies against TBEV. CONCLUSION: The results of seroprevalence obtained by this study confirm the possibility of infection with TBEV among respondents exposed to possible contact with ticks.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• klíšťová encefalitida diagnóza   epidemiologie   imunologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• protilátky virové krev   MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• viry klíšťové encefalitidy genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika MeSH