Subjective health complaints are not associated with tick bites or antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in blood donors in western Norway: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Roy M. Nilsen¹  Reidar Hjetland²  Elling Ulvestad³  Nils Grude⁴  Harald Reiso⁵  Camilla Ihlebæk⁶ 

[1] Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway;Department of Microbiology, Førde General Hospital, Helse Førde Hospital Trust, PO Box 1000, NO-6807, Førde, Norway;Department of Microbiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway;Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway;Department of Microbiology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway;Institute of Health and Society, Department of General Practice, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway;Section of public health, ILP, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway;

关键词: Lyme disease;    Lyme borreliosis;    Blood donors;    Subjective health complaints;    Tick bites;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-015-2026-5

 received in 2015-04-08, accepted in 2015-07-06,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThere is controversy about chronic health consequences of tick-borne infections, especially Lyme borreliosis. This study aims to assess whether general function, physical fitness and subjective health complaints are associated with tick bites or antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in blood donors.MethodsSera from 1,213 blood donors at four different blood banks in Sogn and Fjordane county in western Norway were obtained during January to June 2010, and analysed for specific IgG and IgM antibodies. A questionnaire including questions on tick bites, subjective health complaints, general function and physical fitness was completed.ResultsTick bites had been experienced by 65.7 % of the study population. 78 (6.4 %) were positive for IgG (9.7 % in men, 2.4 % in women), and 69 (5.7 %) for IgM (6.1 % in men, 5.1 % in women), verified by immunoblot. No association between number of experienced tick bites or seropositivity for Borrelia antibodies and subjective health complaints, reduced general function or reduced physical fitness was found.ConclusionThe results do not support any association between tick bites or Borrelia antibodies and subjective health complaints in blood donors in an endemic area for Lyme borreliosis.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Hjetland et al. 2015