ORIGINAL PAPER
Monoinfections caused by Borrelia burgdorferi
and Borrelia burgdorferi / Anaplasma phagocytophilum co-infections
in forestry workers and farmers
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1
Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa im. Papieża Jana Pawła II / Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education, Biała Podlaska, Poland (Katedra Zdrowia / Departament of Health)
2
Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa im. Papieża Jana Pawła II / Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education, Biała Podlaska, Poland (Centrum Badań nad Innowacjami / Innovation Research Centre)
Corresponding author
Małgorzata Tokarska-Rodak
Państwowa Szkoła Wyższa
im. Papieża Jana Pawła II, Katedra Zdrowia, ul. Sidorska 102, 21-500 Biała Podlaska
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2015;66(5):645-51
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ABSTRACT
Background: The presence of co-infections induced by tick-borne pathogens in humans is an important epidemiological phenomenon.
This issue has attracted growing attention of doctors and people working under conditions of an increased risk of being exposed
to tick bites. Material and Methods: The research group consisted of 93 individuals with current anti-immunoglobulin M/G (IgM/
IgG) Borrelia burgdorferi or IgG anti-Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The respondents were identified during the screening survey in
a group of farmers and foresters occupationally exposed to tick bites. The aim of the work was to analyse the frequency of antibodies
to specific antigens of B. burgdorferi and the levels of cytokines in forestry workers and farmers with B. burgdorferi monoinfections
and B. burgdorferi / A. phagocytophilum co-infections. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi2, Mann-Whitney U and
Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: There is a stronger generation of IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi antigens in patients with B. burgdorferi
/ A. phagocytophilum co-infections, such as variable major protein-like sequence expressed (VlsE) (p < 0.05), p19 (p < 0.02), p17
(p < 0.05) and complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 3 (CRASP3) (p < 0.02) compared to persons with B. burgdorferi monoinfections.
The discrepancies in the synthesis of cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) have
not been found in persons with B. burgdorferi monoinfections and B. burgdorferi / A. phagocytophilum co-infection. Conclusions: The immune response directed against B. burgdorferi is stronger in patients co-infected with B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum
than in those with monoinfection. Med Pr 2015;66(5):645–651