German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Population Health Sciences, Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
Department of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany.
Parasit Vectors. 2022 Jul 4;15(1):241. doi: 10.1186/s13071-022-05354-z.
Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in Europe, and numbers might increase due to climate change. However, borreliosis is not notifiable in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany. Hence, little is known about the current human seroprevalence in NRW. However, the proportion of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato-infected ticks has increased in a NRW nature reserve. The literature suggests increasing age and male sex as risk factors for seropositivity, whereas the influence of socioeconomic status is controversial. Thus, we aimed to determine regional seropositivity for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.) and its risk factors in the Rhineland Study population in Bonn, NRW, and to compare it with previous surveys to evaluate potential effects of climate change.
We assessed seropositivity in 2865 Rhineland Study participants by determining immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies for B. burgdorferi s.l. using a two-step algorithm combining enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests and line immunoblots. We calculated the odds of being classified as IgG or IgM positive as a function of age, sex, and educational level using binomial logistic regression models. We applied varying seropositivity classifications and weights considering age, sex and education to compensate for differences between the sample and regional population characteristics.
IgG antibodies for B. burgdorferi s.l. were present in 2.4% and IgM antibodies in 0.6% of the participants (weighted: 2.2% [IgG], 0.6% [IgM]). The likelihood of IgG seropositivity increased by 3.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-5.2%) per 1 year increase in age. Men had 1.65 times the odds for IgG seropositivity as women (95% CI 1.01-2.73), and highly educated participants had 1.83 times the odds (95% CI 1.10-3.14) as participants with an intermediate level of education. We found no statistically significant link between age, sex, or education and IgM seropositivity. Our weighted and age-standardized IgG seroprevalence was comparable to the preceding serosurvey German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS) for NRW.
We confirmed that increasing age and male sex are associated with increased odds for IgG seropositivity and provide evidence for increased seropositivity in the highly educated group. B. burgdorferi s.l. seropositivity remained constant over the past decade in this regional German population.
莱姆病是欧洲最常见的虫媒传染病，由于气候变化，其发病率可能会上升。然而，北莱茵-威斯特法伦州（NRW）并未将其列为法定传染病。因此，目前对于 NRW 地区的人类血清患病率知之甚少。然而，在 NRW 的一个自然保护区中，感染伯氏疏螺旋体的蜱的比例有所增加。文献表明，年龄增长和男性性别是血清阳性的危险因素，而社会经济地位的影响则存在争议。因此，我们旨在确定北莱茵威斯特法伦州波恩莱因兰研究人群中伯氏疏螺旋体的区域性血清阳性率及其危险因素，并与以前的调查结果进行比较，以评估气候变化的潜在影响。
我们通过两步酶联免疫吸附试验和免疫印迹试验联合检测 2865 名莱因兰研究参与者的免疫球蛋白 G（IgG）和免疫球蛋白 M（IgM）抗体，以确定伯氏疏螺旋体 s.l.的血清阳性率。我们使用二项逻辑回归模型，根据年龄、性别和教育程度计算出被归类为 IgG 或 IgM 阳性的几率。我们应用不同的血清阳性率分类和权重，考虑年龄、性别和教育程度，以补偿样本和区域人口特征之间的差异。
2.4%的参与者存在伯氏疏螺旋体 s.l. IgG 抗体，0.6%的参与者存在 IgM 抗体（加权：2.2%[IgG]，0.6%[IgM]）。年龄每增加 1 岁，IgG 血清阳性的可能性增加 3.0%（95%置信区间[CI]为 1.5-5.2%）。男性 IgG 血清阳性的几率是女性的 1.65 倍（95% CI 为 1.01-2.73），受教育程度较高的参与者 IgG 血清阳性的几率是受教育程度中等的参与者的 1.83 倍（95% CI 为 1.10-3.14）。我们没有发现年龄、性别或教育程度与 IgM 血清阳性之间存在统计学上的显著关联。我们的加权和年龄标准化 IgG 血清阳性率与前一次德国健康访谈和成人体检调查（DEGS）的 NRW 血清阳性率相当。
我们证实，年龄增长和男性性别与 IgG 血清阳性的几率增加有关，并为高教育群体的血清阳性率增加提供了证据。在这个德国地区人群中，过去十年中，伯氏疏螺旋体 s.l.血清阳性率保持不变。
