EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CRITERIA AND SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF LYME BORRELIOSIS IN HEALTHCARE WORKERS OF TERNOPIL REGION WHO HAVE BEEN ILL WITH COVID-19
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1811-2471.2024.v.i1.14529Keywords:
Lyme borreliosis, tick bite, specific antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), COVID-19, healthcare workersAbstract
SUMMARY. The aim – to investigate the epidemiological features of Lyme borreliosis and to establish the frequency of detection of specific IgM and/or IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi s. l. in healthcare workers who have who have been ill with COVID-19.
Material and Methods. The study included 52 healthcare workers of Zalishchyky Central City Hospital and Kremenets Reference Hospital who were treated for COVID-19 in 2020-2023 as outpatients and inpatients, aged 24 to 65 years. There were 2 men (3.8 %) and 50 women (96.2 %). The total specific IgM and IgG antibodies to Lyme borreliosis pathogens (B. burgdorferi s.l. complex) in the serum of 52 healthcare workers were determined by ELISA using test systems from Euroimmun AG (Germany). For the laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 (coronavirus RNA), the Biocore® SARS-CoV-2 reagent kit was used.
Results. A single episode of COVID-19 was reported by 22 (42.3 %) out of 52 respondents. It should be noted that the number of reported cases of COVID-19 among the surveyed healthcare workers was higher in 2020 compared to 2023: 37.5 % vs. 6.3 %, p<0.05. A positive PCR result for SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 43 (82.7 %) of 52 respondents, and a negative result in 9 (17.3 %). Outpatient treatment was provided to 37 (71.2 %) of 52 healthcare workers who have been ill with COVID-19, while 15 (28.8 %) were hospitalized in inpatient departments of Ternopil region hospitals.
The fact of a tick bite was reported by 23 (44.2 %) of the respondents. A single tick bite was reported by 16 (69.6 %) of the 23 people who reported a tick bite in their history, two ticks were reported by 5 (21.7 %), and multiple ticks were reported by 2 (8.7 %) respondents. Most often, in 14 (60.9 %) cases, tick bites occurred in rural areas. Specific antibodies of class M were detected in 19 (36.5 %) of 52 people, antibodies of class G – in 6 (11.5 %), of which IgM and IgG simultaneously – in 3 (5.8 %).
Conclusions. It was found that 28.8 % of healthcare workers with COVID-19 were hospitalized in inpatient departments of hospitals in Ternopil region, 26.7 % of whom received oxygen therapy for respiratory failure. A tick bite was reported by 23 (44.2 %) of 52 healthcare workers with COVID-19; most often, respondents reported a single bite in rural areas: 69.6 % and 60.9 %, respectively. Only 17.4 % of the surveyed healthcare workers in Ternopil region used the help of doctor or nurse to remove the tick. Specific IgM and IgG to B. burgdorferi s.l. complex were diagnosed in the serum of 42.3 % of healthcare workers who had COVID-19 by ELISA.
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