Lyme Borreliosis, Po River Valley, Italy

We aimed to determine the presence of Ixodes ricinus ticks in heavily populated areas of the Po River Valley after report of a Lyme disease case. Eighteen percent of ticks examined from 3 locations were positive for Lyme disease borreliae. Lyme disease was diagnosed for 3 workers at risk for tick bite.     

Autochthonous Lyme Borreliosis in Humans and Ticks in Korea

ObjectiveThis study aimed at finding epidemiological and clinical features of autochthonous Lyme borreliosis in humans through epidemiological investigations and identifying its vectors and pathogens through analysis of ticks.MethodEpidemiological investigations, including review of the retrospective medical records and patient interviews, were conducted in two cases that occurred in 2012. To identify the vectors and pathogens, ticks were collected between September 23 and October 6, 2012 from the area where the tick bite in the first patient occurred. The ticks were classified, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and cultures were performed.ResultsThe first patient, a 46-year-old female, visited a forest in Gangwon province, which was 900 m above sea level, where the tick bite occurred. Two weeks after the tick bite, erythema migrans (12 × 6 cm² in size) appeared on the site of tick bite, along with fever, chill, fatigue, myalgia, and arthralgia on shoulders, knees, and hips. The second patient, a 44-year-old male, visited a mountain in Gangwon province, which was 1200 m above sea level, where a tick bite occurred. One month after the tick bite, erythema migrans appeared at the site of the tick bite, along with fatigue, myalgia, and arthralgia on the right shoulder and temporomandibular joint. Indirect fluorescent antibody testing and Western blotting were carried out in these two cases for diagnosis, and positive findings were obtained. As a result, Lyme borreliosis could be confirmed. To estimate the pathogens and vectors, the ticks were collected. A total of 122 ticks were collected and only two species, Haemaphysalis japonica and Haemaphysalis flava, were identified. PCR and culture were performed on ticks. However, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was not isolated from any collected ticks.ConclusionsThis study is significant to confirm Lyme borreliosis officially at first by the national surveillance system, although identification of the mites and pathogens failed.     

精神病人莱姆病螺旋体感染情况分析

目的：探讨精神病人感染莱姆病螺旋体情况。方法：间接免疫荧光抗体试验（ＩＦＡ）。结果：精神病人血清抗体阳性率（５２／１３４，３８９％）明显高于健康人群（１／９０，１１％），且均排除梅毒和钩端螺旋体感染，并从精神病人中分离出１株病原体。结论：莱姆病感染后期可致精神异常     

Seroprevalence of Lyme Borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in workers at risk, in eastern France

Objective

The aim of this article was to assess the seroprevalence of Lyme Borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) among occupationally exposed forest workers.

Methods

Workers exposed to tick bites in Eastern France were interviewed by occupational health physicians of the mutualité sociale agricole (MSA) on their sociodemographic features, their occupational activity, their last tick bite, their clinical history, and their means of prevention. Blood sampling was carried out for antibody detection.

Results

Among the 2975 subjects included in the study, the observed seroprevalence was 14.1% for Lyme borreliosis and 3.4% for TBE. Age, occupational activity, and place of residence significantly influenced the serological status of Lyme borreliosis. The seroprevalence was significantly higher among woodcutters (17.5%) than among other occupational categories (p < 0.001). Seroprevalence in Alsace (26.9%) and Lorraine (16.5%) were significantly higher than in other regions (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively). The seroprevalence of TBE was significantly higher in Alsace (5.5%; p < 0.001). The rates of seroprevalence for both infections varied according to forest areas. The multifactorial analysis of prevention practices revealed three types of behaviors as far as protection was concerned: “rigorous”, “partial”, or “insufficient”.

Conclusion

These results do not change the present French indications for use of TBE vaccine. They highlight the importance of information on these diseases and the need for further studies on microbial ecology and risk-factors identification.     

Lyme arthritis, Lyme carditis and other presentations potentially associated to Lyme disease

Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-transmitted disease in the Northern hemisphere and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes. Lyme disease commonly begins with a characteristic skin lesion, erythema migrans. Weeks or months later, the patients may have neurologic, joint, or cardiac abnormalities. Some patients may still present persistent deep fatigue and various unspecific symptoms after standard courses of antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. This constellation of symptoms has been variously referred to as "chronic Lyme disease", or "post-Lyme disease syndrome". The first French National Consensus Conference on Lyme Disease was the reason to review all aspects of articular and cardiac manifestations of Lyme disease after a synthesis of recent literature. The involvement of Borrelia species in chronic Lyme disease and other pathologies is discussed.     

Lyme disease

Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere, is caused by bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi complex. The disease is multisystemic, affecting mainly the skin, nervous system, heart and joints. In Europe, the vector of the disease is the tick Ixodes ricinus, whereas in the United States of America, two primary tick vectors exist, namely: I. scapularis in the north-eastern and mid-western regions and I. pacificus on the west coast. Several species of small and medium-sized mammals and ground-feeding birds serve as reservoirs for the bacteria in endemic areas. The prognosis for patients with Lyme borreliosis is excellent, particularly when diagnosed and treated early in the course of infection. Prevention of Lyme borreliosis can be achieved using two approaches, either prevention of infection by immunisation, or prevention of tick bites through avoidance, personal protection and tick control.     

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is being increasingly diagnosed in the UK. The clinical picture, laboratory diagnosis and treatment of the disease are described and aspects of the pathology and epidemiology are highlighted.     

Lyme borreliosis

Lyme borreliosis is a complex infectious process that primarily involves the skin, heart, joints, and nervous systems. The infectious agent is the spirochete B burgdorferi, which is transmitted by the Ixodes genus of ticks. The clinical presentations of Lyme disease are protean because of the overlap of stages and varied organ system involvement. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, approximately one-third of Lyme patients are unable to recall a tick bite. Lyme borreliosis should be suspected in anyone with a tick bite. The findings of an EM lesion and flu-like symptoms strongly favor the diagnosis of stage 1 disease. Stage 2 evolves weeks to months after a tick bite, with cardiac and neurological findings as well as musculoskeletal pain. Stage 3 primarily manifests itself as arthritis associated with continuing or additional neurologic complications. Serologic studies are currently the most practical laboratory aid in diagnosis, because almost all infected individuals have a positive antibody response to the spirochete. Treatment with antibiotics usually proves successful, although longer courses of therapy may be needed in later stages of the disease, and some patients may not respond.     

莱姆病概述

莱姆病(Iyme disease)是一种由伯氏疏螺旋体(或莱姆病螺旋体)所引起，经硬蜱为主要传播介质的自然疫源性疾病。