title: Seasonal prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in Białowieza inhabitants.
abstract: The aim of the study was evaluation of seasonal variability in presence of specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in Białowieza area, as an endemic region of Lyme borreliosis. Specific IgM and IgG antibodies against 41-kDa antigen of Borrelia burgdorferi B31 strain were investigated with an enzyme immunoassay in sera of 300 Białowieza inhabitants between September 1993 and May 1994. The highest prevalence of IgM antibodies was observed in September 1993 (43.4%), with decrease during winter and spring (down to 15.7% in April) and accompanying the highest prevalence of IgG antibodies (17.7% in April 1994). Quantitative determination of antibodies level expressed as corrected optical density revealed similar tendency. From 33 persons, that revealed IgM antibodies in September 1993, 26 (79%) had no IgM or IgG antibodies. Specific IgG antibodies found in 7 persons in September, were still present in 4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical School, Białystok.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flisiak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiercińska-Drapało
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalinowska
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prokopowicz
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M