Antibody prevalence and clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in Swedish orienteers.
Antibody prevalence and clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were studied in 362 orienteers from the county of Stockholm during a large relay race in October 1990. From all participating orienteers, a blood sample was collected and a questionnaire completed. Antibody activity to Borrelia burgdorferi was measured using a sonicated whole spirochete antigen in an ELISA, and to TBE virus (TBEV) by ELISA and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. A past history of LB was reported by 6% of the orienteers and antibodies to B. burgdorferi were found in 9%. Antibody reactivity to B. burgdorferi was found in 1-2% of the sera from 3 different control groups comprising 502 persons living in non-endemic areas. The corresponding value was 9% in sera from a fourth control group consisting of 150 persons living in the city of Stockholm. A past history of TBE was reported by 1 orienteer (0.3%) and detectable antibodies to TBEV in non-immunized individuals were found in 1%. No antibody activity to TBEV could be detected in sera from the control individuals living in the 3 non-endemic areas, but in 5% of the controls from Stockholm. In this study, there was no indication that frequent or severe manifestations of LB or TBE are common among orienteers in Sweden.
Gustafson
R
R
Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.
Forsgren
M
M
Gardulf
A
A
Granström
M
M
Svenungsson
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001733:Bites and Stings; D002648:Child; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000276:immunology*; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013177:Sports; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013987:Ticks; D014197:Trees; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines