Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne infection in the northern hemisphere. On average, around 5-30% of ticks in Switzerland are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi). The literature contains varying data on the seroprevalence rates of Borrelia antibodies in asymptomatic subjects. As part of the BOBUNICA study, Heeb et al. determined the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against B. burgdorferi in 1-17-year-old residents of northwestern Switzerland.
Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne disease in Switzerland [1]. In Europe, Borrelia bacteria of the B. burgdorferi-sensu-latu complexare the most common. The natural course of an untreated infection is very variable. Not every infection leads to disease, but a large proportion of infections with B. burgdorferi sensu lato are asymptomatic. There are only a few studies on the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi IgG antibodies in children; the rates documented in the specialist literature are 3.2-4.1% [2–4]. At this year’s Joint Annual Meeting of the Swiss Society for Infectious Diseases (SSI) with the Swiss Society for Microbiology (SSM) and the Swiss Society for Hospital Hygiene (SSHH), Heeb et al. presented a study aimed at determining the seroprevalence of B. Burgdorferi IgG antibodies in children and adolescents without symptoms of Lyme borreliosis living in northwestern Switzerland and in neighboring border regions of France and Germany [5]. For this purpose, a monocentric observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted; children and adolescents aged 1-17 years living in the greater northwestern region of Switzerland were included [5]. Certain chronic diseases (active cancer, immunodeficiency syndrome) and some treatment regimes (intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, allogeneic stem cell transplantation) served as exclusion criteria. The determination of Borrelia antibodies in the blood was carried out using serological step-by-step diagnostics. A two-stage procedure using ELISA as an antibody screening test and lineblot immunoassay as a confirmatory test was used.
Above-average seropositivity rates
Data was collected from a total of 962 test subjects [5] (Table 1). The seropositivity rate determined was 13.3%. There were no significant differences depending on gender (male, female), age group, presence of chronic diseases and region of residence (urban vs. rural area). The seropositivity rate determined in this study is above average compared to other studies. The study authors conclude that a B. burgdorferi infectionis common in the age group of children and adolescents and that the corresponding risk may have increased.
Congress: Joint Annual Meeting SSI/SSHH/SSTTM
Literature:
- “Borrelia burgdorferi – Lyme borreliosis”, https://swissticks.ch/de/erreger/borrelia-burgdorferi-s-l-lyme-borreliose,(last accessed 24.09.2024).
- Skogman BH, et al: Seroprevalence of Borrelia IgG antibodies among young Swedish children in relation to reported tick bites, symptoms and previous treatment for Lyme borreliosis: a population-based survey. Arch Dis Child 2010; 95(12): 1013-1016.
- Dehnert M, et al: Seropositivity of Lyme borreliosis and associated risk factors: a population-based study in Children and Adolescents in Germany (KiGGS). PLoS One 2012; 7(8): e41321.
- Bohm S, et al: Seroprevalence, seroconversion and seroreversion of Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG antibodies in two population-based studies in children and adolescents. Germany 2003 to 2006 and 2014 to 2017. Eur Surveill 2023; 28(34).
- Heeb L, et al: Borrelia Burgdorferi Infections in Children and Adolescents – a seroprevalence study (BOBUINCA). Posters SSI; P023, Joint Annual Meeting SSI/SSHH/SSTTM, 28-30.08.2024.
- “Cutaneous Lyme borreliosis”, S2k guideline, 2024, AWMF guideline register no. 013/044, https://register.awmf.org/assets/guidelines/013-044l_S2k_Kutane_Lyme_Borreliose_2024-06.pdf,(last accessed 24.09.2024).
HAUSARZT PRAXIS 2024; 19(10): 44 (published on 17.10.24, ahead of print)
