Tick-borne Encephalitis and Positive Borrelial Antibodies
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2020-09-01
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