engleski

Emerging Tick-Zoonoses in Eastern Slavonia

Objectives were specific IgG antibody titers to Ehrlichia chaffensis, HGE agent, B. divergens, B. burgdorferi and rickettsia species in group of 100 hospitalized and unhospitalized patients, who have experienced tick bite, were examined. A serological testing was performed in group of about hundred persons, who have experienced tick bite. About on half of them were hospitalized (some of them for TBE, most of them for LB), other half visited their GP, because of treat of developing some of tick-born-diseases. A serological testing was performed by commercial ELISA test for LB, and IFA test for HGE agent, E. chaffensis, B. divergens and rickettsia species and using reconvalescent sera, taken about 3 weeks after tick bite, or after admitting to hospital. Examined persons differ by occupation, place of living, age and sex. There are still no data of circulation of these zoonotic agents in our area, and our goal was only to find out is there any sign of this circulation in the Eastern Croatian countries. We found three B. divergens positive sera, five HGE agent positive sera, two E. chaffensis positive sera, five rickettsia species positive sera (four RMSF group, one tiphus group), and 32 LB positive sera (all patients who were hospitalized for LB). Total number of sera is small, so we did not made any statistical analysis. Of course, all similar investigations like, we have had a huge number of persons with possibility of high exposure to tick bite. In the Eastern Croatian countries, we found sera from persons who experienced tick bite seropositive on HGE agent, E. chaffensis, B. divergens, rickettsia species and LB agent. That is way more detailed investigations of reservoirs, vectors and patients must be provided.

emerging infections; tick-zoonoses; serological diagnostics

DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-0691.9.s1.83.x