title: Subjective health complaints are not associated with tick bites or antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in blood donors in western Norway: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is controversy about chronic health consequences of tick-borne infections, especially Lyme borreliosis. This study aims to assess whether general function, physical fitness and subjective health complaints are associated with tick bites or antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in blood donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 1,213 blood donors at four different blood banks in Sogn and Fjordane county in western Norway were obtained during January to June 2010, and analysed for specific IgG and IgM antibodies. A questionnaire including questions on tick bites, subjective health complaints, general function and physical fitness was completed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tick bites had been experienced by 65.7% of the study population. 78 (6.4%) were positive for IgG (9.7% in men, 2.4% in women), and 69 (5.7%) for IgM (6.1% in men, 5.1% in women), verified by immunoblot. No association between number of experienced tick bites or seropositivity for Borrelia antibodies and subjective health complaints, reduced general function or reduced physical fitness was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results do not support any association between tick bites or Borrelia antibodies and subjective health complaints in blood donors in an endemic area for Lyme borreliosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Førde General Hospital, Helse Førde Hospital Trust, PO Box 1000, NO-6807, Førde, Norway. reidar.hjetland@helse-forde.no.
authors.forename: Reidar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hjetland
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Department of General Practice, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. harald.reiso@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reiso
authors.affiliation: Section of public health, ILP, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway. camilla.ihlebak@nmbu.no.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ihlebæk
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. roy.miodini.nilsen@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Roy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Nilsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway. nigrud@siv.no.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grude
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. elling.ulvestad@helse-bergen.no.|Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. elling.ulvestad@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Elling
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ulvestad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010809:Physical Fitness; D064927:Tick Bites / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M