Faculty of Medicine

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.ukim.mk/handle/20.500.12188/14

Browse

Settings

Access type: UnknownSubject: search.filters.subject.tick-borne diseases

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Loading...
    Thumbnail Image
    Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    consent settings
    Item type:Publication,
    Differential Exposure to Borrelia spp. and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia in Serbia and North Macedonia: A Comparative Study
    (MDPI AG, 2025-08-17)
    ;
    Mateska, Sofija
    ;
    Najdovska, Marija
    ;
    Stamenkovska, Angela
    ;
    Pavleva, Verica
    Several diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens, including Lyme borreliosis (LB) and spotted fever group rickettsioses, are endemic in the Balkan Peninsula, positioned between Central Europe and the Middle East. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess serological exposure to Borrelia spp. and spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR) among individuals with recent tick bites and healthy controls in two Balkan countries-Serbia and North Macedonia. Serum samples from 223 participants were tested for anti-Borrelia and anti-SFGR IgG antibodies. SFGR exposure was significantly higher in tick-exposed individuals from Skopje (North Macedonia) compared to those from Novi Sad (Serbia) (30.9% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.003). In contrast, anti-Borrelia IgG was more frequently detected in Novi Sad, though differences did not reach statistical significance. The findings support a north-to-south gradient in Borrelia exposure and a reverse trend for SFGR, consistent with earlier studies and regional tick infection data. Given the high SFGR exposure and limited clinical reporting in North Macedonia, the results highlight the likelihood that tick-borne rickettsioses remain under-recognized. Additionally, Borrelia exposure in North Macedonia warrants further investigation. These findings emphasize the need for enhanced tick-borne disease surveillance, identification of endemic zones, and improved diagnostic and public health infrastructure in both countries.
  • Loading...
    Thumbnail Image
    Some of the metrics are blocked by your 
    consent settings
    Item type:Publication,
    Current Status and Challenges Associated with Tick-Borne Pathogens and Diseases: Where Do We Stand?
    (MDPI AG, 2023-10-23)
    Banović, Pavle
    ;
    Rodríguez, Islay
    ;
    Lyme Borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and transmitted by specific Ixodes spp. ticks, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and the most common tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere [1,2]. Despite accepted guidelines for diagnosing LB, with specific clinical case definitions, in the absence of relevant clinical information or when faced with an atypical presentation, clinicians tend to rely on serological tests when including LB in the differential diagnosis. Serological tests for LB, conducted in accordance with the European Concerted Action on LB guidelines as part of a two-stage diagnostic process, frequently pose challenges in interpretation, especially with nonspecific clinical presentations. This is primarily attributed to the significant occurrence of false-positive results, which can be influenced by cross-reactivity with acute viral infections [3]. In this Special Issue, Wojciechowska-Koszko et al. [4] confirm that serological tests used in the diagnosis of LB can generate false-positive results in patients with acute viral infections. More precisely, tests used for the first step of the two-stage approach, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) or indirect immunofluorescence (IIFT), and the immunoblot (IB) method for the second step of the two-stage diagnostic approach all showed significant cross-reactivity and positive results in patients with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and BK virus (BKV) infections without clinical manifestations related to LB.