Tick-borne Encephalitis and Borrelial Antibodies in Serum
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2021-12-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In Slovenia, tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis are both endemic diseases with high
incidence rates and they are both transmitted by a bite of infected Ixodes ricinus tick. In
clinical practice, tick-borne encephalitis is confirmed by demonstration of tick-borne
encephalitis antibodies in serum of a patient with compatible clinical presentation and
cerebrospinal pleocytosis. Patients with Lyme meningitis or meningoradiculitis also have
cerebrospinal pleocytosis, however the presence of borrelial antibodies in serum does not
attest Lyme neuroborreliosis. Patients with tick-borne encephalitis and positive borrelial
antibodies in serum, but not fulfilling criteria for Lyme neuroborreliosis, are often being
treated with antibiotics in several European countries due to the possibility of double
infection. The investigators hypothesise that such patients do not benefit from antibiotics.
Such an approach may appear safe regarding the possibility of borrelial infection, however it
can also be associated with detrimental consequences such as antibiotic related adverse
reactions, negative epidemiological impact on bacterial resistance, and intravenous catheter
related complications.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University Medical Centre Ljubljana
Collaborator:
University of Ljubljana School of Medicine, Slovenia