TY - JOUR
T1 - Seroconversion for lyme borreliosis among dutch military
AU - Vos, Koen
AU - van Dam, Alje P.
AU - Kuiper, Herman
AU - Bruins, Hans
AU - Spanjaard, Lodewijk
AU - Dankert, Jacob
PY - 1994
Y1 - 1994
N2 - Few prospective studies for Lyme borreliosis (LB) have been conducted among subjects at risk to acquire this disease during their work when wearing well-defined protective clothing against tick-bites. We prospectively compared the rate of seroconversion and the occurrence of clinical manifestations of LB among 2 groups of Dutch military. The at risk-group worked predominantly outdoors, and the control-group conducted predominantly indoor activities. During outdoor work, the at risk-group wore long sleeves, long trousers, closed around the ankles and high boots. Initial serum samples from 2158 military were collected immediately after entering the service. From 932 military (at risk-group: 469, control-group: 463) a second sample was drawn 9 to 12 months later. Sera were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA. Four persons (0.9% in the at risk-group and 10 persons (2.2% in the control-group seroconverted for IgG and/or IgM antibodies against B. burgdorferi. This difference was not statistically significant. Only 1 person who had seroconverted had noticed an erythema migrans. In conclusion, military performing outdoor activities have a low risk for infection with B. burgdorferi, most likely because they wear protective clothing. Among seroconverted persons clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis occurred rarely. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.
AB - Few prospective studies for Lyme borreliosis (LB) have been conducted among subjects at risk to acquire this disease during their work when wearing well-defined protective clothing against tick-bites. We prospectively compared the rate of seroconversion and the occurrence of clinical manifestations of LB among 2 groups of Dutch military. The at risk-group worked predominantly outdoors, and the control-group conducted predominantly indoor activities. During outdoor work, the at risk-group wore long sleeves, long trousers, closed around the ankles and high boots. Initial serum samples from 2158 military were collected immediately after entering the service. From 932 military (at risk-group: 469, control-group: 463) a second sample was drawn 9 to 12 months later. Sera were tested for IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA. Four persons (0.9% in the at risk-group and 10 persons (2.2% in the control-group seroconverted for IgG and/or IgM antibodies against B. burgdorferi. This difference was not statistically significant. Only 1 person who had seroconverted had noticed an erythema migrans. In conclusion, military performing outdoor activities have a low risk for infection with B. burgdorferi, most likely because they wear protective clothing. Among seroconverted persons clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis occurred rarely. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=0028030578&origin=inward
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7984975
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3109/00365549409008616
DO - https://doi.org/10.3109/00365549409008616
M3 - Article
C2 - 7984975
SN - 0036-5548
VL - 26
SP - 427
EP - 434
JO - Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases
JF - Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases
IS - 4
ER -