Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis in a defined Swedish population.
Sera from 346 individuals living on Lisö, an area south of Stockholm, endemic for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme borreliosis, were tested for antibody activity to TBE-virus (TBEV) and Borrelia burgdorferi, using a sonicate antigen, by haemagglutination-inhibition and ELISA, respectively. 10/346 (3%) individuals had a history of previous serologically confirmed TBE with encephalitic symptoms, and 33/346 (10%) had a history of previous erythema chronicum migrans (ECM). Four individuals (1%) had been treated for neuroborreliosis and another 4 (1%) for acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA). Antibodies to TBEV and B. burgdorferi were detected in 40/346 (12%) and 89/346 (26%) individuals, respectively. The seroprevalence of Lyme borreliosis increased with age, time spent on Lisö, and number of reported tick-bites. For TBE there was a correlation between seropositivity and time spent on Lisö only. In sera from 50 healthy blood-donors, living in a non-endemic area, no antibody activity to TBEV could be detected and only 1/50 (2%) had antibodies to borrelia. In sera from 150 age and sex matched control individuals, living in the city of Stockholm, antibody activity to TBEV and borrelia was found in 8/150 (5%) and 13/150 (9%), respectively.
Gustafson
R
R
Department of Infectious Diseases, Roslagstull Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Svenungsson
B
B
Gardulf
A
A
Stiernstedt
G
G
Forsgren
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000276:immunology; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013987:Ticks
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral