title: Longterm survey (7 years) in a population at risk for Lyme borreliosis: what happens to the seropositive individuals?
abstract: In 1986, a 26% seroprevalence of IgG- anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies was observed among 950 orienteers and the incidence of new clinical infections was 0.8%. In 1993, a total of 305 seropositive orienteers were reexamined. During that time, 15 cases (4.9%) of definite/probable Lyme disease occurred in this seropositive group (12 skin manifestations and 3 monoarticular joint manifestations). Among the 12 definite cases, 9 showed new clinical infections (7 EM, 1 acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, 1 arthritis), and 3 were recurrent (2 EM, 1 arthritis). The annual incidence (0.8%) in this seropositive group was identical to the incidence observed among the whole population in 1986. The individual antibody titer decreased slightly but the seroreversion rate was low (7%). Serology was not very helpful in identifying clinical cases and evolutions, and it can be stated, that a positive serology is much more frequent in this risk group than clinical disease.
authors.affiliation: Lindenhofspital, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fahrer
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sauvain
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zhioua
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Hoecke
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Gern
mesh_terms: D000169:Acrodermatitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D015787:Erythema Chronicum Migrans / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013177:Sports; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G