| Abstract [eng] |
There are about 1500 cases of Lyme borreliosis (LB) registered annually in Lithuania, the average morbidity rate was 34/100 000 in 1991-2006. The high incidence of LB determines the high attention to the epidemiological situation. The analysis of the diseases patterns and causative factors is needed for management of the situation, development of disease preventive strategies, improving the diagnostics, providing recommendations and etc. The aim of the study is to assess epidemiological patterns of LB and the main factors (natural-climatic and social) leading to them in Lithuania 1995-2006. In this study LB incidence trends and risk factors are evaluated, correlation of various risk factors with LB incidence and abundance of ticks are assessed, the prevalence of tick bites and risk factors among the population are determined. This study has evaluated the possible ecological significance of newly formed biotope‘s to the LB spread. After molecular tests the prevalence and genotypes of Borrelia in Ixodes ricinus nymphs collected from different biotopes was determined. This study succeeded to detect until now not detected in Lithuania Borrelia miyamotoi belonging to relapsing fever group. The study results showed that nymps’ infectivity in Lithuania is 14.8%. The climatic (air temperature and snow cover) risk factors are the most important ones influencing the LB. LB natural habitat has the property to expand at the expense of areas where the incidence rate was previously low. |
