Endemic threat of Lyme borreliosis in Bialowicza forestry area

• Published in: Przegląd epidemiologiczny Vol. 48; no. 3; p. 211
• Main Authors: Flisiak, R, Prokopowicz, D, Flisiak, I, Bobrowska, E, Miegoć, H, Grzeszczuk, A, Sulik, E, Okolów, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Polish
• Published: Poland 1994
• Subjects: Adult; Borrelia burgdorferi Group - immunology; Borrelia burgdorferi Group - pathogenicity; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunoglobulin M - immunology; Incidence; Lyme Disease - epidemiology; Lyme Disease - etiology; Lyme Disease - immunology; Male; Poland - epidemiology; Poland
• ISSN: 0033-2100

Lyme Borreliosis is a serious diagnostical and therapeutical problem in regions with high exposure of residents to ticks, which are Borrelia burgdorferi vectors. The aim of this study was to estimate occurrence of specyfic antibodies and symptoms of Lyme Borreliosis in Białowieza area, as a region of potential endemic presence of this disease. Antibodies against B. burgdorferi were found, with an immunoenzymatic assay, in 71 from among 143 of examined persons (49.7%). Diagnosis of Lyme Borreliosis was established in 54 persons (37.7% of examined population) according to criterions of Lyme Disease Foundation and Centers for Diseases Control. Symptoms of joints involvement (polyarticular or restricted to knee joints) and peripheral nervous system involvement (predominantly radiculalgia lumbosacralis) were most frequently observed in clinical picture. These results motivate to recognize Białowieza region as an endemic area of Borrelia burgdorferi infections.