Anti-Borrelia antibodies in rodents: important hosts in ecology of Lyme disease

Ann Agric Environ Med. 2004;11(2):209-13.

Abstract

Data presented in this study focuses on the presence of anti-Borrelia antibodies in small mammals from Eastern Slovakia during 2000-2003. The total seropositivity observed was 18.78% in rodents. Amongst all species, the total seroprevalence in Apodemus flavicolis was the highest (20.87%), followed by Apodemus agrarius (19.58%) and Clethrionomys glareolus (11.11%). However, the prevalence in Apodemus flavicolis during the year 2000-2001 was higher (26.72%), which reduced to 10.60% in 2002-2003. To compare the year range of seroprevalence in other small mammals was not feasible due to the small sample number. Area-wise distribution of anti-Borrelia antibodies was even (18.75% to 20%) in this study, except in the Bot'any province (0%). This confirms the equal distribution of Borrelia spirochetes in the other 3 localities. Prevalence of anti-Borrelia antibodies during summer was significantly higher than during autumn and early spring. The overall study also reviews the importance of small mammals in Lyme disease ecology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis*
  • Antibody Formation
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / immunology*
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / pathogenicity*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Lyme Disease / epidemiology
  • Lyme Disease / immunology*
  • Lyme Disease / transmission*
  • Muridae / immunology*
  • Muridae / microbiology*
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Slovakia / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin G