Volume 27, Number 4—April 2021
CME ACTIVITY - Research
Infections with Tickborne Pathogens after Tick Bite, Austria, 2015–2018
Mateusz Markowicz
, Anna-Margarita Schötta, Dieter Höss, Michael Kundi, Christina Schray, Hannes Stockinger, and Gerold Stanek
, Anna-Margarita Schötta, Dieter Höss, Michael Kundi, Christina Schray, Hannes Stockinger, and Gerold Stanek
Table 2
Comparison of persons infected and not infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato after tick bite, Austria, 2015–2018*
| Variable | Not infected, n = 457 |
Infected, n = 25 |
p value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. or mean ± SD | Median, % (IQR) | No. or mean ± SD | Median, % (IQR) | |||
| Sex | ||||||
| M | 214 | 46.8 | 12 | 48.0 | 1.000 | |
| F |
243 |
53.2 |
13 |
52.0 |
NA |
|
| Age, y |
48.7 ± 14.5 |
48.5 (36.8–59.1) |
52.4 ± 14.0 |
54.0 (42.9–58.6) |
0.216 |
|
| Use of repellent | 17 | 3.7 | 2 | 8.0 | 0.258 | |
| No. ticks | 1.3 ± 1.2 | 1.0 (1.0–1.0) | 2.4 ± 3.8 | 1.0 (1.0–2.0) | <0.001 | |
| Time, tick bite to blood test, d† | 4.3 ± 4.0 | 4.0 (2.0–6.0) | 3.9 ± 2.1 | 3.0 (2.0–5.0) | 0.645 | |
| Duration of tick attachment, d |
1.0 ± 2.9 |
1.0 (0.0–2.0) |
1.2 ± 1.2 |
1.0 (0.0–2.0) |
0.668 |
|
| Tick location | ||||||
| Left leg | 119 | 26.0 | 15 | 60.0 | <0.001 | |
| Right leg | 130 | 28.4 | 13 | 52.0 | 0.022 | |
| Left arm | 53 | 11.6 | 6 | 24.0 | 0.106 | |
| Right arm | 55 | 12.0 | 4 | 16.0 | 0.530 | |
| Head/neck | 21 | 4.6 | 1 | 4.0 | 1.000 | |
| Abdomen/chest | 71 | 15.5 | 4 | 16.0 | 1.000 | |
| Genital/pelvic area | 111 | 24.3 | 5 | 20.0 | 0.811 | |
| Back |
46 |
10.1 |
4 |
16.0 |
0.314 |
|
| Antimicrobial drug‡ | 30 | 6.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.39 | |
| PCR positive | 62 | 13.6 | 11 | 44.0 | <0.001 | |
| IgG§ | 57 | 12.5 | 6 | 24.0 | 0.08 | |
| IgM§ | 30 | 6.6 | 2 | 8.0 | 0.58 | |
| IgG and IgM§ | 23 | 5.0 | 2 | 8.0 | 0.37 | |
| History of erythema migrans |
84 |
18.0 |
8 |
32.0 |
0.15 |
|
| Tick engorgement | ||||||
| None | 180 | 39.5 | 4 | 16.0 | <0.001 | |
| Slightly/partially | 219 | 48.0 | 10 | 40.0 | NA | |
| Fully | 57 | 12.5 | 11 | 44.0 | NA | |
*IQR, interquartile range; NA, not applicable. †Time between tick bite and first blood test. ‡Received within 4 weeks before tick bite. §Presence of Borrelia-specific antibodies at the first visit.
Page created: January 11, 2021
Page updated: March 18, 2021
Page reviewed: March 18, 2021
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