[Epidemiologic aspect of lyme borreliosis among the inhabitants of Podlasie Province].
The aim of this study was to evaluate Lyme borreliosis morbidity among the inhabitants of Podlasie Province in the years of 1996-2000.


METHODS
The new cases of Lyme borreliosis reported in the years of 1996-2000 in Podlasie Province were analyzed. The analysis included the data from Mz-56 and Mz-57 forms and the information from epidemiologic investigations sent to Regional Sanitary and Epidemiologic Station in Bialystok. In 1996-2000, screening examinations were carried out in the same group of 358 forestry workers including 44 (12.29%) females and 314 (87.71%) males aged from 21 to 64 (x = 41.2) years. Immunoenzymatic test of ELISA Borrelia recombinant IgM and IgG by Biomedica firm (Austria) were used to detect B. burgdorferi antibodies.


RESULTS
In 1996-2000, 4933 of borreliosis cases were registered in Poland including 1377 (27.91%) in Podlasie Province. The morbidity rate in Podlasie province ranged from 15.05% in 1996 year to 21.29% in 2000 year of the whole country morbidity. At the same time, the incidence rate in Podlasie Province ranged from 9.09 in 1996 to 32.2 in 2000 year and was 6.72-fold higher than the incidence rate in the whole country. In Eastern and Central region of the province, 80.54% of cases were registered whereas, 14.09% by the Lakeside of Augustów and Suwalki only 5.37% in the western region of the province. It was proved that the morbidity increased in proportion to the age of patients (41.39% of patients were at the age of 30-49) and it decreased only above the age of 60. Thus, Lyme borreliosis affects mainly people at working age. The increase in B. burgdorferi antibody detectability was noticed in the population of forestry workers; it was detected in 38.55% in 1995 and in 2000 in 43.56% of the examined. Interestingly, 81 people infected with B.b in 1995-2000 included 74 men and only 7 women, supporting the statement that B.b infection affects mainly working professionals and the risk increases with the practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Our studies indicate that Lyme borreliosis is a serious health problem among the inhabitants of Podlasie Province which is an endemic area for Ixodes ricinus ticks infected with B. burgdorferi spirochete.
Pancewicz
S A
SA
Klinika Chorób Zakaźnych i Neuroinfekcji AM w Białymstoku.
Olszewska
B
B
Hermanowska-Szpakowicz
T
T
Kondrusik
M
M
Zajkowska
J M
JM
Grygorczuk
S
S
Swierzbińska
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016468:Forestry; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial