Prevalence and clinical manifestation of borreliosis were analyzed. Evaluation of frequency of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi in sera collected from forestry workers were performed too.
Materials and methods: 113 forestry workers from Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeship were examined (56 from Szubin district, 29 from Runowo district and 28 from Lutówko district). Duration of works, frequency of exposition for tick, presence of erythema migrans (EM) in the past and present manifestation of Lyme disease were analyzed. Serological studies were performed in each case.
Results: Duration of works balanced between one and 47 years. In 92 cases exposition took place more than one time. 24 suffered from EM in the past but only two of them were treated with antibiotics because of this manifestation. 14 of 113 patients suffered from Lyme arthritis. Serological markers of infection with B.b. were finding in 37 cases.
Conclusions: (1) Not every infection with B.b. are clinically manifested. (2) The risk of infection with B.b. is higher in patient frequently exposed on ticks. (3) There is no correlation between duration of works in a forest and frequency of B.b. infection in forestry workers what indicate that infected with B.b. ticks expanded on kujawsko-pomorskie voivodeship recently. (4) Forestry workers should be systematically examined because of high risk of Lime disease. (5) The information about borreliosis should be widespread.