RESEARCH PAPER
Lyme borreliosis – state of the knowledge among medical students
1
Students Scientific Association at the Chair and Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland
2
Medical University, Lublin, Poland
J Pre Clin Clin Res. 2023;17(2):73-78
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction and objective:
Lyme disease (LD) is becoming a serious problem worldwide. It is a bacterial infection caused by Gram-negative spirochaetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato which are spread by tick bite, and are recognized as one of the most important tick-borne diseases. People spending time in the forests, meadows, and parks, or working in such environments are endangered to tick bites, which may cause the infection. Even though not each one of the parasites carries the disease, the illness itself is a serious condition and can simulate many other diseases, which is why it is often called ‘the great imitator’. Therefore, it is very important to know the early symptoms of LD, as it can be cured effectively by antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine whether young adults have sufficient knowledge regarding LD, how often tick bites occur within this population, and how many of them have been diagnosed with the illness in the past.
Material and methods:
Data was collected with the use of a survey completed by 201 first-year medical students.
Results:
The majority of the students had basic knowledge regarding the etiology, symptoms, and vectors of LD. There is a necessity to improve knowledge in the field of treatment, prophylaxis, and tick removal techniques. Half of the study participants had been bitten by a tick and some of them were diagnosed with LD.
Conclusions:
Most of the participants reported a tick bite in the past, and/or confirmed an infection. The awareness level regarding the sickness needs to be improved in some aspects, with the use of social campaigns or advertisements. This would help with better recognition of the disease in the future.
Lyme disease (LD) is becoming a serious problem worldwide. It is a bacterial infection caused by Gram-negative spirochaetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato which are spread by tick bite, and are recognized as one of the most important tick-borne diseases. People spending time in the forests, meadows, and parks, or working in such environments are endangered to tick bites, which may cause the infection. Even though not each one of the parasites carries the disease, the illness itself is a serious condition and can simulate many other diseases, which is why it is often called ‘the great imitator’. Therefore, it is very important to know the early symptoms of LD, as it can be cured effectively by antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine whether young adults have sufficient knowledge regarding LD, how often tick bites occur within this population, and how many of them have been diagnosed with the illness in the past.
Material and methods:
Data was collected with the use of a survey completed by 201 first-year medical students.
Results:
The majority of the students had basic knowledge regarding the etiology, symptoms, and vectors of LD. There is a necessity to improve knowledge in the field of treatment, prophylaxis, and tick removal techniques. Half of the study participants had been bitten by a tick and some of them were diagnosed with LD.
Conclusions:
Most of the participants reported a tick bite in the past, and/or confirmed an infection. The awareness level regarding the sickness needs to be improved in some aspects, with the use of social campaigns or advertisements. This would help with better recognition of the disease in the future.
FUNDING
Borowski B, Kupisz Z, Długosz P, Kozioł MM. Lyme borreliosis – the state of the knowledge among medical students. J Pre-Clin Clin Res.
2023; 17(2): 73–78. doi: 10.26444/jpccr/166589
REFERENCES (49)
1.
Chomel B. Lyme disease. Rev Sci Tech. 2015;34(2):569–76. doi:10.20506/rst.34.2.2380.
2.
Bamm VV, Ko JT, Mainprize IL, et al. Lyme Disease Frontiers: Reconciling Borrelia Biology and Clinical Conundrums. Pathogens. 2019;8(4):299. doi:10.3390/pathogens8040299.
3.
Radolf JD, Strle K, Lemieux JE, et al. Lyme Disease in Humans. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2021;42:333–384. doi:10.21775/cimb.042.333.
4.
Baker PJ. Is It Possible to Make a Correct Diagnosis of Lyme Disease on Symptoms Alone? Review of Key Issues and Public Health Implications. Am J Med. 2019;132(10):1148–1152. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.04.001.
5.
Stanek G, Wormser GP, Gray J, et al. Lyme borreliosis. Lancet. 2012;379(9814):461–473. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60103-7.
6.
Semproni M, Rusk R, Wuerz T. Fatal Lyme carditis presenting as fluctuating high-grade atrioventricular block. CMAJ. 2020 May 25;192(21):E574-E577. doi:10.1503/cmaj.191194.
7.
Bloch EM, Zhu X, Krause PJ, et al. Comparing the Epidemiology and Health Burden of Lyme Disease and Babesiosis Hospitalizations in the United States. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2022 Nov 8;9(11):ofac597. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofac597.
8.
Shen RV, McCarthy CA, Smith RP. Lyme Carditis in Hospitalized Children and Adults, a Case Series. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2021 Mar 23;8(7):ofab140. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofab140.
9.
Kannangara DW, Sidra S, Pritiben P. First case report of inducible heart block in Lyme disease and an update of Lyme carditis. BMC Infect Dis. 2019 May 16;19(1):428. doi:10.1186/s12879-019-4025-0.
10.
Sykes RA, Makiello P. An estimate of Lyme borreliosis incidence in Western Europe†. J Public Health (Oxf). 2017;39(1):74–81. doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdw017.
11.
Petrulionienė A, Radzišauskienė D, Ambrozaitis A, et al. Epidemiology of Lyme Disease in a Highly Endemic European Zone. Medicina (Kaunas). 2020;56(3):115. doi:10.3390/medicina56030115.
12.
Zbrzeźniak J, Rosolak A, Paradowska-Stankiewicz I. Lyme disease in Poland in 2019. Przegl Epidemiol. 2021;75(2):210–214. doi:10.32394/pe.75.19.
13.
Zając Z, Kulisz J, Bartosik K, et al. Environmental determinants of the occurrence and activity of Ixodes ricinus ticks and the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in eastern Poland. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 29;11(1):15472. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-95079-3.
14.
Kříž B, Fialová A, Šebestová H, et al. Comparison of the epidemiological patterns of Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis in the Czech Republic in 2007–2016. Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol. 2018;67(3):134–140.
15.
Ginsberg HS, Hickling GJ, Burke RL, et al. Why Lyme disease is common in the northern US, but rare in the south: The roles of host choice, hostseeking behavior, and tick density. PLoS Biol. 2021;19(1):e3001066. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3001066.
16.
Dykstra EA, Oltean HN, Kangiser D, et al. Ecology and Epidemiology of Tickborne Pathogens, Washington, USA, 2011–2016. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020;26(4):648–657. doi:10.3201/eid2604.191382.
17.
Sajanti E, Virtanen M, Helve O, et al. Lyme Borreliosis in Finland, 1995–2014. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017;23(8):1282–1288. doi:10.3201/ eid2308.161273.
18.
Brzozowska M, Wierzba A, Śliwczyński A, et al. The problem of Lyme borreliosis infections in urban and rural residents in Poland, based on National Health Fund data. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2021;28(2):277– 282. doi.org/10.26444/aaem/121056.
19.
Acharya D, Park JH. Seroepidemiologic Survey of Lyme Disease among Forestry Workers in National Park Offices in South Korea. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(6):2933. doi:10.3390/ijerph18062933.
20.
Pańczuk A, Tokarska-Rodak M, Plewik D, et al. Tick exposure and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies among hunters and other individuals exposed to vector ticks in eastern Poland. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2019;70(2):161–168. doi:10.32394/rpzh.2019.0066.
21.
Zákutná Ľ, Dorko E, Mattová E, et al. Sero-epidemiological study of Lyme disease among high-risk population groups in eastern Slovakia. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2015;22(4):632–636. doi:10.5604/12321966.1185765.
22.
Middelveen MJ, Burke J, Sapi E, et al. Culture and identification of Borrelia spirochetes in human vaginal and seminal secretions. F1000Res. 2014;3:309. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.5778.3.
23.
Król N, Obiegala A, Imholt C, et al. Diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks and small mammals from different habitats. Parasites Vectors. 2022;15:195. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071....
24.
Marques AR, Strle F, Wormser GP. Comparison of Lyme Disease in the United States and Europe. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021;27(8):2017–2024. doi:10.3201/eid2708.204763.
25.
Dulipati V, Meri S, Panelius J. Complement evasion strategies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. FEBS Lett. 2020;594(16):2645–2656. doi:10.1002/1873-3468.13894.
26.
Enkelmann J, Böhmer M, Fingerle V, et al. Incidence of notified Lyme borreliosis in Germany, 2013–2017. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):14976. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-33136-0.
27.
Stanek G, Strle F. Lyme borreliosis-from tick bite to diagnosis and treatment. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2018;42(3):233–258. doi:10.1093/femsre/fux047.
28.
Aronowitz RA. The rise and fall of the lyme disease vaccines: a cautionary tale for risk interventions in American medicine and public health. Milbank Q. 2012;90(2):250–277. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0009.2012.
29.
Gomes-Solecki M, Arnaboldi PM, Backenson PB, et al. Protective Immunity and New Vaccines for Lyme Disease. Clin Infect Dis.2020;70(8):1768–1773. doi:10.1093/cid/ciz872.
30.
Eisen L. Control of ixodid ticks and prevention of tick-borne diseases in the United States: The prospect of a new Lyme disease vaccine and the continuing problem with tick exposure on residential properties. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2021;12(3):101649. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101649.
31.
Rogerson AG, Lloyd VK. Lyme Disease Patient Outcomes and Experiences; A Retrospective Cohort Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2020;8(3):322. doi:10.3390/healthcare8030322.
32.
Zaidi SA, Singer C. Gastrointestinal and hepatic manifestations of tickborne diseases in the United States. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;34(9):1206–12. doi:10.1086/339871.
33.
Baig M, Zheng L, Farmer A. Severe Hyperbilirubinemia: A Rare Complication of Lyme Disease. Case Rep Gastrointest Med. 2019;2762389. doi:10.1155/2019/2762389.
34.
Sanchez E, Vannier E, Wormser GP, et al. Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Lyme Disease, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, and Babesiosis: A Review. JAMA. 2016;315(16):1767–1777. doi:10.1001/ jama.2016.2884.
35.
Rauer S, Kastenbauer S, Fingerle V, et al. Lyme Neuroborreliosis. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2018;115(45):751–756. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0751.
36.
Lehenmeier A, Oberst G, Heckmann JG. Paresis of the Diaphragm in Neuroborreliosis. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2021;118(47):816. doi:10.3238/arztebl.m2021.0088.
37.
Sowula K, Szaleniec J, Dworak M, et al. Vertigo as One of the Symptoms of Lyme Disease. J Clin Med. 2021;10(13):2814. doi:10.3390/jcm10132814.
38.
Hündersen F, Forst S, Kasten E. Neuropsychiatric and Psychological Symptoms in Patients with Lyme Disease: A Study of 252 Patients. Healthcare (Basel). 2021;9(6):733. doi:10.3390/healthcare9060733.
39.
Rivera OJ, Nookala V. Lyme Carditis. 2022. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–.
40.
Paim AC, Baddour LM, Pritt BS, et al. Lyme Endocarditis. American Journal of Medicine, 2018;131(9):126–1129. doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.02.032.
41.
Grabos A, Marunchak T, Succes L, et al. Development of cardiovascular complications and their correlation with Lyme disease. Med Sci Pulse 2019;13(4):55–59. doi:10.5604/01.3001.0013.7161.
42.
Şahin AR, Hakkoymaz H, Taşdoğan AM, et al. Evaluation and comparison of tick detachment techniques and technical mistakes made during tick removal. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2020;26(3):405– 410. doi:10.14744/tjtes.2020.59680.
43.
Figoni J, Chirouze C, Hansmann Y, et al. Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases. Guidelines from the French Scientific Societies (I): prevention, epidemiology, diagnosis. Med Mal Infect. 2019;49(5):318– 334. doi.org/10.1016/j.medmal.2019.04.381.
44.
Eisen L. Pathogen transmission in relation to duration of attachment by Ixodes scapularis ticks. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2018;9(3):535–542. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.01.002.
45.
Schmitz JL. Expanding Access to Biospecimens for Lyme Disease Test Development. J Clin Microbiol. 2020;58(6):e00449–20. doi:10.1128/ JCM.00449-20.
46.
Waddell LA, Greig J, Mascarenhas M, et al. The Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease in Humans, A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of North American Research. PLoS One. 2016;11(12):e0168613. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168613.
47.
Lloyd VK, Hawkins RG. Under-Detection of Lyme Disease in Canada. Healthcare (Basel). 2018;6(4):125. doi:10.3390/healthcare6040125.
48.
Lantos PM, Rumbaugh J, Bockenstedt LK, et al. Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, American Academy of Neurology, and American College of Rheumatology: 2020 Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Lyme Disease. Neurology. 2021;96(6):262–273.
49.
Pańczuk A, Tokarska-Rodak M, Mikuľáková W, et al. Exposure to ticks and undertaking Lyme borreliosis prevention activities among students from Poland and Slovakia. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2019;26(2):217–221. doi:10.26444/aaem/99089.
| eISSN: | 1898-7516 |
| ISSN: | 1898-2395 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
