Retrospective Study of Lyme Borreliosis Serologies in France: Evolution between 2007 and 2011

Loïc Chartier (1) , Sabine Trombert-Paolantoni (2) , Sylvie Gonzalo (3) , Elisabeth Ferquel (4) , Valérie Choumet (4)

1 Epidémiologie des Maladies Emergentes - Emerging Diseases Epidemiology
2 Laboratoire CERBA [Saint Ouen l'Aumône]
3 CHU ST-E - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint-Etienne [CHU Saint-Etienne]
4 Département de Virologie - Department of Virology

Lyme borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia, transmitted to humans by the bite of infected hard ticks of the genus Ixodes. National surveillance data are very scarce across Europe. Contribution of biology proves essential for diagnosis in the late manifestations. Our aim was to investigate the retrospectively frequency of Lyme positive serologies obtained from two French laboratories, their geographical distribution and their evolution over time. Sera tested were those received at CERBA between January 2007 and December 2011 and Biomnis between 2010 and 2011. IgG and IgM serum isotypes were detected by EIA. Antibodies specificity was analysed by western blot. Between 2010 and 2011, 83 528 patient samples were analyzed and 5 800 patients had positive serology for Lyme disease in France. The standardized rate of positive Lyme serologies (PLS) observed in our study was 4.63 cases per 100,000 person-year in 2010-2011. The regions localized at the center, the East and the NorthEast of France had a high incidence of PLS whatever the year. These areas have a dense forest cover. They represent a favorable habitat for ticks as well as for human outdoor activities. Prevention should be strengthened in these regions particularly in the elderly population. Percentage of positive patients over year was correlated with the annual temperatures, suggesting that climate change may impact Lyme incidence. A strong increase of the incidence was observed between 2010 and 2011 in six regions requiring an enhanced monitoring in the future.

Domaines: Santé publique et épidémiologie

Loïc Chartier, Sabine Trombert-Paolantoni, Sylvie Gonzalo, Elisabeth Ferquel, Valérie Choumet. Retrospective Study of Lyme Borreliosis Serologies in France: Evolution between 2007 and 2011. JSM Tropical Medicine and Research, 2017, 2 (1), pp.1013. ⟨pasteur-01576244⟩