title: [Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in Hamburg blood donors].
abstract: One thousand regular blood donors of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the University Hospital in Hamburg were screened for antibodies against the Lyme disease spirochete, B. burgdorferi. 7.2% were initially reactive in the enzyme immunoassay, 37.5% of which were confirmed by immunoblot. The seroprevalence of anti-B. burgdorferi antibodies thus is 2.7% in Hamburg blood donors. 25 of 27 positive donors received a physical exam, which did not reveal any symptoms of acute or chronic Lyme disease. 24 of these 25 donors were tested for B. burgdorferi-specific DNA in urine by polymerase chain reaction, which came out negative in all cases. Introduction of B. burgdorferi antibody screening is not regarded an effective means to prevent transfusion-transmitted Lyme disease.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Transfusionsmedizin und Transplantationsimmunologie, Universitäts-Krankenhaus Eppendorf, BRD.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiland
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kühnl
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laufs
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heesemann
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015994:Incidence; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008403:Mass Screening; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
vernacular_title: Prävalenz von Borrelia-burgdorferi-Antikörpern bei Hamburger Blutspendern.