Epidemiology of Lyme Disease in a Highly Endemic European Zone

Abstract

Background and objective: Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis (LB), is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the spirochete bacteria Borrelia. The risk of infection depends on the geographical area, ecological factors, and human behavior. Clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis have a wide range, but the most frequent clinical symptom, which is also a diagnostic symptom, is a skin rash called erythema migrans (EM). The disease is very common worldwide. In Lithuania, the disease frequency is 99.9 cases per 100,000 population (Centre for Communicable Diseases and AIDS, Lithuania, 2017). The main aim of this study was to obtain the baseline characteristics of the disease regarding the infected Lithuanian population. Materials and Methods: We analyzed data from the Centre for Communicable Diseases and AIDS about all Lyme disease (A69.2) diagnosed patients over a three-year period (from 2014 to 2016) in Lithuania. Results: In 2014–2016, 7424 (crude incidence rate 85.4) cases with LB were diagnosed in Lithuania. Most of them (4633 (62.4%)) were identified in women. Older people were more likely to suffer from LB. Urban residents were 2.6 times more often affected that those living in villages. Tick bites were primarily observed in high season months, from May to September (90%), with the highest peak in July. There was a higher number of observed tick bites (p = 0.003) in the urban residents. Erythema migrans occurred in 75.6% LB cases, while other symptoms did not exceed a quarter of all LB cases. There were 7353 (99.6%) cases where LB was confirmed via clinical symptoms and/or laboratory tests. Also, 1720 (23.2%) patients were tested for LB immunoglobulins. Conclusions: This study found a high incidence of Lyme disease in Lithuania. We elucidated the baseline characteristics regarding the infected Lithuanian population which may ease medical clinicians’ work on new Lyme diagnoses.

An Epidemiological Survey Regarding Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases among Livestock Owners in Punjab, Pakistan: A One Health Context

“…As ticks externally attached to their hosts, people involved in livestock handling, including slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians, laborers , laboratory workers, and milkmen, are at high risk of being infected [ 16 , 17 ]. Tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, rickettsiosis, CCHF, and tick-borne encephalitis are present in humans in all over the world, including Pakistan [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Of the approximately 949 identified tick species, circa 10% are vectors of TBPs, including agents of various infectious diseases having profound public health importance [ 5 , 13 ].…”

Lyme Disease among Patients at an Ambulatory Unit in a Highly Endemic Country: Lithuania

“…In Lithuania, from 2014 to 2016, the average crude Lyme disease incidence rate was 85.4 persons per 100,000 population [ 4 ]. The prevalence of Lyme borreliosis (LB) syndromes were the following: EM (94.02%), LA (3.18%), LC (0.39%) LD (0.09%), and NB (2.28%), which was similar to other endemic Europe countries.…”

“…Lyme disease is common in Lithuania. The average crude incidence rate of Lyme borreliosis (LB), in Lithuania, was 85.4, from 2014 to 2016 [ 4 ]. According to recent climate changes, when winters become milder, ticks are active for a longer period of time and, therefore, the risk of a tick bite and being infected with B. burgdorferi is even higher.…”

Role of Zoo-Housed Animals in the Ecology of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens—A Review

“…Lyme borreliosis (LB) spirochetes can cause systemic disease in humans, nonhuman primates, carnivores, ungulates and some rodent species [ 81 , 82 , 83 ], causing pathological changes in the skin, joints, heart and central nervous system [ 84 , 85 ]. However, clinical symptoms of LB in different animal species are variable [ 86 , 87 ].…”