title: Epidemiological survey of human borreliosis diagnosed in Eastern Slovakia.
abstract: 439 sera of patients from eastern Slovakia suspected of Lyme borreliosis were examined for anti-Borrelia IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA (Ezygnost, Dade Behring, Germany). Out of the total number of 64 sera, e.g. in 14.6% found anti-Borrelia antibodies were. Among seropositive patients, 54.7% were women and 45.3% men. The highest incidence of the disease was diagnosed in the group of women aged 55-64 and men aged 45-54. Out of 29 positive sera of men, 55.2% had IgG antibodies, 27.6% IgM antibodies and 17.2% both types of antibodies. Out of 35 positive sera of women, 48.6% had IgG antibodies, 40.0% IgM antibodies and 11.4% both types of antibodies. Erythema Chronicum Migrans--ECM (31.3%) and arthritis (25.0%) prevailed among clinical symptoms, in contrast with only 7.8% of neurological cases. In men, arthritis most frequently occurred (27.6%), while in women erythema migrans forms (37.1%). Other manifestations of the disease appeared in 13 patients (20.3%), and 10 patients (15.6%) had no record of clinical manifestations. As shown by patients' records, 32.8% reported attachment of tick, 20.3% insect bites and 29.7% were not aware of being bitten by vectors. Seasonal dynamics of diagnosed cases reached three peaks with the highest numbers in February, May and October.
authors.affiliation: Parasitological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic. astefan@saske.sk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefancíková
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pet'ko
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rozická
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salyová
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ohlasová
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015787:Erythema Chronicum Migrans / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M