Seroprevalence of tick-borne infections in forestry rangers from northeastern Italy.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocitophilum and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus, and risk factors, in forestry rangers from the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region in northeastern Italy. Sera from 181 forestry rangers were examined with two-tiered serological tests for TBE, Lyme borreliosis and ehrlichiosis. Information about risk factors such as job location, residence, number of tick bites and outdoor leisure activities was collected with a questionnaire. Seropositivity was 0.6% for TBE virus, 23.2% for Lyme borreliosis and 0.6% for ehrlichiosis. Lyme borreliosis positivity, as determined by Western blot, was associated with working in the foothills, with gardening in the northeastern part of the region, and with a history of yearly tick bites. Risk factors were similar when a case of Lyme borreliosis was defined either by Western blot positivity or by clinical history.

• Authors: M Cinco, F Barbone, M Grazia Ciufolini, M Mascioli, M Anguero Rosenfeld, P Stefanel, R Luzzati
• Journal: Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Clin Microbiol Infect) Vol. 10 Issue 12 Pg. 1056-61 (Dec 2004) ISSN: 1198-743X [Print] England
• PMID: 15606631 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Antibodies, Viral

Topics

• Adult
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum (immunology)
• Animals
• Antibodies, Bacterial (blood)
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Borrelia burgdorferi (immunology)
• Ehrlichiosis (epidemiology)
• Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne (immunology)
• Encephalitis, Tick-Borne (epidemiology)
• Female
• Forestry
• Humans
• Italy (epidemiology)
• Lyme Disease (epidemiology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Occupational Diseases (epidemiology)
• Risk Factors
• Seroepidemiologic Studies
• Tick-Borne Diseases (epidemiology)