Risk to human health posed by Ixodes ricinus ticks in relation to diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in south-eastern Poland
Journal Title: Polish Journal of Public Health - Year 2011, Vol 121, Issue 3
Abstract
Introduction.[i] Ixodes ricinus [/i]– tick of a great medical and veterinary importance is a common species in south-eastern Poland. The major threat is associated with the direct effects of its parasitism, and transmission of numerous pathogens, e.g. [i]Borrelia burgdorferi[/i],[i] Anaplasma phagocytophilum[/i], tick-borne encephalitis virus,[i] Rickettsia helvetica [/i]and [i]Babesia [/i]spp. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of Lyme disease and TBE in Poland; in years 2000-2007 there has been a 20-fold and over 2-fold increase in the incidence of Lyme disease in the Lublin Province and in the Podkarpackie Province (2.24 to 22.8 and 11.47 to 22.8 respectively). Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of tick-borne disease diagnosis in south-eastern Poland, an area of numerous habitats of Ixodes ricinus, and to assess the risk of tick attacks in biologically diverse biotopes frequently visited by tourists and residents for recreational purposes. Material and methods. The investigations were carried out in of south-eastern Poland in the years 2003-2006. Ticks were collected using the flagging method and identified to species, sex and developmental stage. Data on health care facilities and medical staff involved in diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases were obtained from the Statistics Directory of Health Care. Conclusions. The differences in the abundance of[i] I. ricinus [/i]populations as well as nymphs and adults can be explained by the different structure of the biotopes in the study habitats that provides favourable conditions for ticks and hosts of their various developmental stages. Analysis of the organization of health services and number of medical staff (general practitioners, dermatologists, internists and neurologists, diagnosticians and nurses) indicates possible difficulties with diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases in the area.
Authors and Affiliations
Katarzyna Bartosik, Jolanta Szymańska, Alicja Buczek
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP134868
- DOI -
- Views 79
- Downloads 0
The analysis and comparison of Pilicz’s test results as an evaluation of the physical fitness
[b]Introduction.[/b] A negative effect of civilization changes is lowering of the level of individual physical fitness and more and more frequent phenomenon of hypokinesis. [b]Aim. [/b]The aim of the study is to compare...
Relationships between perception of illness, social support and hemodialysis adequacy
Introduction. The patients in situations of “being ill” have to face not only pain and disabilities, but also problems in their social relationships. Perceptions of illness are results of reactions to the changes in the...
Extracellular water compartment measured with the use of whole body and segmental bioimpedance technique in hemodialyzed patients
[b]Introduction[/b]. Monitoring of hydration levels in dialyzed patients is an important clinical aspect of the quality of treatment. Bioelectric impedance has been established as a valuable tool in the evaluation of hyd...
Demographic and Health Issues in the Polish Population versus Types of Tasks Regarding Health Education
The knowledge of demographic and health issues of the Polish population comprises the fundamentals of any preventive as well as diagnostic-therapeutic and educational action. The trends in some health, demographic and so...
Activities for the local community – the level of satisfaction and the assessment of sport and recreation activities of Wroclaw program „Community Sports Coach” concerning health promotion and addiction prevention
[b]Introduction[/b]. In accordance with the concept of health promotion, local authorities intend more frequently to provide constructive recommendations to certain groups of inhabitants, children and teenagers in partic...