The Institute for Tropical Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Public Health and Biosafety, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
BMJ Open. 2024 Jun 10;14(6):e083052. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083052.
ticks are pivotal in transmitting diseases like Lyme disease and human granulocytic anaplasmosis, caused by and , respectively. These pathogens not only affect humans through single or multiple tick bites but also pose risks to animal hosts, leading to potential coinfections. Despite regional studies indicating significant prevalence, their global coinfection data remain sparse. This study aims to bridge this gap through a systematic review and meta-analysis of and coinfections in ticks worldwide. Addressing data limitations and study variability, it seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of coinfection patterns, their epidemiological implications and inform targeted prevention strategies.
Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols 2015 guidelines and PROSPERO registration, this study will undertake a thorough database search without constraints on language or publication date, using standardised screening and data extraction protocols. The quality and bias of studies will be evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. In the statistical analysis phase, conducted in R, we will initially determine the use of fixed or random-effects models based on the assessment of data heterogeneity. This choice will guide the framework for subsequent analyses. Within the selected model's framework, we will perform subgroup analyses and meta-regression to investigate the effects of various factors, ensuring that each step is tailored to the initial model selection to maintain analytical consistency.
As this study does not involve clinical research or data collection from subjects, ethical approval is not required. We will uphold ethical standards in synthesising and reporting data. Study outcomes will be published in peer-reviewed journals, communicating findings to the scientific community and contributing to the understanding of tickborne diseases.
CRD42023449735.
蜱在传播莱姆病和人类粒细胞无形体病等疾病方面起着关键作用，分别由 和 引起。这些病原体不仅通过单次或多次蜱叮咬影响人类，还对动物宿主构成风险，导致潜在的合并感染。尽管区域研究表明其流行率很高，但全球范围内关于它们的合并感染数据仍然很少。本研究旨在通过对全球蜱类中的 和 合并感染进行系统评价和荟萃分析来填补这一空白。该研究通过解决数据限制和研究变异性，旨在提供对合并感染模式、其流行病学意义的细致理解，并为有针对性的预防策略提供信息。
本研究将遵循 2015 年系统评价和荟萃分析报告规范以及 PROSPERO 注册要求，不限制语言或出版日期，对数据库进行全面搜索，使用标准化的筛选和数据提取方案。使用 Joanna Briggs 研究所工具评估研究的质量和偏倚。在统计分析阶段，我们将在 R 中进行，最初将根据数据异质性评估确定使用固定或随机效应模型。这个选择将指导后续分析的框架。在选定的模型框架内，我们将进行亚组分析和元回归，以研究各种因素的影响，确保每个步骤都根据初始模型选择进行调整，以保持分析的一致性。
由于本研究不涉及临床研究或从研究对象收集数据，因此不需要伦理批准。我们将在综合和报告数据时遵守伦理标准。研究结果将发表在同行评议的期刊上，向科学界传达研究结果，并为理解蜱传疾病做出贡献。
PROSPERO 注册号：CRD42023449735。
