title: Serological survey of Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi, Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, Leptospira spp., Echinococcus, Hanta-, TBE- and XMR-virus infection in employees of two forestry enterprises in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, 2011-2013.
abstract: We initiated a survey to collect basic data on the frequency and regional distribution of various zoonoses in 722 employees of forestry enterprises in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) from 2011 to 2013. Exposures associated with seropositivity were identified to give insight into the possible risk factors for infection with each pathogen. 41.2% of participants were found to be seropositive for anti-Bartonella IgG, 30.6% for anti-Borrelia burgdorferi IgG, 14.2% for anti-Leptospira IgG, 6.5% for anti-Coxiella burnetii IgG, 6.0% for anti-Hantavirus IgG, 4.0% for anti-Francisella tularensis IgG, 3.4% for anti-TBE-virus IgG, 1.7% for anti-Echinococcus IgG, 0.0% for anti-Brucella IgG and anti-XMRV IgG. Participants seropositive for B. burgdorferi were 3.96 times more likely to be professional forestry workers (univariable analysis: OR 3.96; 95% CI 2.60-6.04; p<0.001); and participants seropositive for Hantavirus 3.72 times more likely (univariable analysis: OR 3.72; 95% CI 1.44-9.57; p=0.007). This study found a surprisingly high percentage of participants seropositive for anti-B. henselae IgG and for anti-F. tularensis IgG. The relatively high seroprevalence for anti-Leptospira IgG seen in this study could be related to living conditions rather than to exposure at work. No specific risk for exposure to C. burnetii and Echinococcus was identified, indicating that neither forestry workers nor office workers represent a risk population and that NRW is not a typical endemic area. Forestry workers appear to have higher risk for contact with B. burgdorferi-infected ticks and a regionally diverse risk for acquiring Hantavirus-infection. The regional epidemiology of zoonoses is without question of great importance for public health. Knowledge of the regional risk factors facilitates the development of efficient prevention strategies and the implementation of such prevention measures in a sustainable manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectiology and Hygiene, NRW Centre for Health, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jurke
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Diagnostic Electron Microscopy of Infectious Pathogens, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bannert
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Echinococcus, Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brehm
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fingerle
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Bartonella, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Goethe, University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: V A J
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Kempf
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Coxiella, Baden-Württemberg State Health Office, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kömpf
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectiology and Hygiene, NRW Centre for Health, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunemann
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Leptospira, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayer-Scholl
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Tick-borne Encephalitis, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedrig
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Leptospira, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nöckler
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Brucella, Bacteriology and Toxicology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, München, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Francisella, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, München, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Splettstoesser
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Echinococcus, Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tappe
authors.affiliation: Consultant Laboratory for Coxiella, Baden-Württemberg State Health Office, Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: Silke.Fischer@rps.bwl.de.
authors.forename: Silke F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016468:Forestry; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Forest; Occupational exposure; Prevalence; Risk; Seroepidemiologic studies; Tick-borne diseases; Zoonotic infection