Predicting the risk of Lyme borreliosis after a tick bite, using a structural equation model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding and quantification of the risk of Lyme borreliosis after a tick bite can aid development of prevention strategies against Lyme borreliosis.

Methods

We used 3,525 single tick bite reports from three large prospective studies on the transmission risk of tick-borne pathogens to humans, with 50 reports of Lyme borreliosis during the follow-up period, among 1,973 reports with known outcome. A structural equation model was applied to estimate the risk of Lyme borreliosis after a tick bite, and quantify the influence of: developmental stage of the tick, detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA in the tick by PCR, tick engorgement, patient-estimated duration of tick attachment, and patient age.

Results

The overall risk of developing Lyme borreliosis

SUBMITTER: Hofhuis A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5524385 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature