Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands
The incidence of tick-borne infections other than Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis is rising in Europe, including the Netherlands. Nature management workers, being highly exposed to ticks, serve as valuable sentinels for seroprevalence studies on tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). This study a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000906 |
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| author | B.J.A. Hoeve-Bakker G. Çelik O.E. van den Berg C.C. van den Wijngaard A. Hofhuis J.H.J. Reimerink S.F.T. Thijsen K. Kerkhof |
| author_facet | B.J.A. Hoeve-Bakker G. Çelik O.E. van den Berg C.C. van den Wijngaard A. Hofhuis J.H.J. Reimerink S.F.T. Thijsen K. Kerkhof |
| author_sort | B.J.A. Hoeve-Bakker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The incidence of tick-borne infections other than Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis is rising in Europe, including the Netherlands. Nature management workers, being highly exposed to ticks, serve as valuable sentinels for seroprevalence studies on tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). This study assessed nature management workers’ seropositivity to TBPs including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia divergens, B. microti, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Rickettsia conorii and R. typhi in the Netherlands. In addition, the study examined coexposure to multiple TBPs and identified risk factors for B. burgdorferi s.l.- and A. phagocytophilum-seropositivity.The study included 525 nature management workers who donated serum and completed a questionnaire. Sera were analysed for exposure to A. phagocytophilum, B. divergens, B. microti, R. conorii and R. typhi using immunofluorescence assays. For B. burgdorferi s.l. antibody detection, the recommended two-tier testing strategy was used. Risk factor analysis was performed using logistic regression modelling.Seropositivity was 30.9 % for B. burgdorferi s.l.; 16.4 % for A. phagocytophilum; 6.5 % for R. conorii; 2.3 % for R. typhi; 4.2 % for B. divergens; and 0.4 % for B. microti. Almost half (49.3 %) of the participants demonstrated seropositivity for one or more pathogens. Risk factors for B. burgdorferi s.l.-seropositivity included being male, increasing age and tick bite frequency. For A. phagocytophilum-seropositivity, increasing age and working in North Holland province were significant risk factors.This study illustrates the exposure to TBPs in the Netherlands, emphasizing the need for ongoing vigilance and international collaborations to better understand and address the growing threat of TBPs in regions with demonstrated environmental TBP circulation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bec5c97108f84ed7b50810282d173700 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1877-9603 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-bec5c97108f84ed7b50810282d1737002025-02-05T04:31:29ZengElsevierTicks and Tick-Borne Diseases1877-96032025-01-01161102397Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the NetherlandsB.J.A. Hoeve-Bakker0G. Çelik1O.E. van den Berg2C.C. van den Wijngaard3A. Hofhuis4J.H.J. Reimerink5S.F.T. Thijsen6K. Kerkhof7Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Diakonessenhuis Hospital, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Corresponding author at: Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands.Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the NetherlandsCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the NetherlandsCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the NetherlandsCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the NetherlandsCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the NetherlandsDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the NetherlandsCentre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the NetherlandsThe incidence of tick-borne infections other than Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis is rising in Europe, including the Netherlands. Nature management workers, being highly exposed to ticks, serve as valuable sentinels for seroprevalence studies on tick-borne pathogens (TBPs). This study assessed nature management workers’ seropositivity to TBPs including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia divergens, B. microti, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Rickettsia conorii and R. typhi in the Netherlands. In addition, the study examined coexposure to multiple TBPs and identified risk factors for B. burgdorferi s.l.- and A. phagocytophilum-seropositivity.The study included 525 nature management workers who donated serum and completed a questionnaire. Sera were analysed for exposure to A. phagocytophilum, B. divergens, B. microti, R. conorii and R. typhi using immunofluorescence assays. For B. burgdorferi s.l. antibody detection, the recommended two-tier testing strategy was used. Risk factor analysis was performed using logistic regression modelling.Seropositivity was 30.9 % for B. burgdorferi s.l.; 16.4 % for A. phagocytophilum; 6.5 % for R. conorii; 2.3 % for R. typhi; 4.2 % for B. divergens; and 0.4 % for B. microti. Almost half (49.3 %) of the participants demonstrated seropositivity for one or more pathogens. Risk factors for B. burgdorferi s.l.-seropositivity included being male, increasing age and tick bite frequency. For A. phagocytophilum-seropositivity, increasing age and working in North Holland province were significant risk factors.This study illustrates the exposure to TBPs in the Netherlands, emphasizing the need for ongoing vigilance and international collaborations to better understand and address the growing threat of TBPs in regions with demonstrated environmental TBP circulation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000906Anaplasma phagocytophilumBabesia divergensBabesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l.CoinfectionElisaEpidemiology |
| spellingShingle | B.J.A. Hoeve-Bakker G. Çelik O.E. van den Berg C.C. van den Wijngaard A. Hofhuis J.H.J. Reimerink S.F.T. Thijsen K. Kerkhof Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Anaplasma phagocytophilum Babesia divergens Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Coinfection Elisa Epidemiology |
| title | Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands |
| title_full | Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands |
| title_fullStr | Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands |
| title_short | Seropositivity to tick-borne pathogens in nature management workers in the Netherlands |
| title_sort | seropositivity to tick borne pathogens in nature management workers in the netherlands |
| topic | Anaplasma phagocytophilum Babesia divergens Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Coinfection Elisa Epidemiology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000906 |
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