Tick-borne Encephalitis and Possible Borrelial Serology

May 17, 2019 updated by: Daša Stupica, University Medical Centre Ljubljana

Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus and Lyme Borreliae Causing Coillness, Coinfection, or Just Coincidence. A Prospective Observational Study

In Europe, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus causing TBE is transmitted by the bite of Ixodes ricinus tick, which can also transmit Lyme borreliae , the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB). Since TBE and LB are both endemic with high incidence rates in Slovenia, we should be attentive to the possibility of double infections. Double infections with TBE virus and Lyme borreliae were reported to occur rarely even in endemic countries, however reliable data on coinfection rates are rather limited. Microbiological diagnosis of TBE virus infection is quite straightforward, and there is no specific therapy for TBE available so far. This markedly differs from borrelial infection, in which case interpretation of serological test results demands more caution, but there is highly efficient antibiotic treatment available for LB. This may lead to over prescribing of antibiotics to TBE patients with documented borrelial antibodies in serum indicating possible coinfection with Lyme borreliae, but missing clinical or microbiological criteria for proven borrelial coinfection. Approximately 10% of patients who had been treated appropriately for LB and about one third of patients after TBE report nonspecific subjective complaints, such as fatigue, headache, arthralgia, and myalgia, termed post-Lyme and post-encephalitic symptoms, respectively. These may not be differentiated clearly from nonspecific symptoms occurring with a rather substantial incidence also in the general population. A trend of ascribing medically unexplained nonspecific subjective symptoms to LB in subjects with positive borrelial antibodies in serum puzzles the situation further.

The aim of this prospective observational study was to assess the proportion and clinical implication of proven and possible coinfection with Lyme borreliae in patients with TBE, and to evaluate the association between anti-borrelial antibiotic therapy and clinical outcome in the subgroup of patients with possible coinfection.

Study Overview

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

690

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Ljubljana, Slovenia
        • University Medical Center Ljubljana

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult patients with tick-borne encephalitis.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • age ≥18 years
  • admitted between January 2007 and December 2013 at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • tick-borne encephalitis defined according to European criteria (febrile illness with symptoms and/or signs of meningitis or meningoencephalitis, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis (>5 × 106 cells/L), and demonstration of acute TBE virus infection (the presence of specific tick-borne encephalitis virus IgM and IgG antibodies in serum or demonstration of intrathecal production of specific TBE virus IgM and/or IgG antibodies in patients previously vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Lyme borreliosis in the past

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Anti-borrelial antibiotic therapy
Beside symptomatic therapy, patients received oral doxycycline 100 mg (Doxy®) twice daily or ceftriaxone 2 g (Lendacin®) once daily for 14 days. Antibiotic therapy was left to the discretion of treating physicians. Patients reported the presence of nonspecific symptoms such as headache, fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia.
No antibiotics
Patients who received symptomatic therapy (paracetamol, Lekadol®, granisetron, Kytril®, metamizol, Analgin®, parenteral hydration with saline). Patients reported the presence of nonspecific symptoms such as headache, fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia.
Patients who received symptomatic therapy (paracetamol, Lekadol®, granisetron, Kytril®, metamizol, Analgin®, parenteral hydration with saline). Patients reported the presence of nonspecific symptoms such as headache, fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of patients with objective manifestations of Lyme borreliosis
Time Frame: up to 12 months follow-up
At each visit physical examination was performed and clinical signs indicating objective manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, such as erythema migrans, were searched for and documented.
up to 12 months follow-up
Frequency of nonspecific symptoms such as headache, fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia
Time Frame: up to 12 months follow-up
At each visit patients were asked to report the presence of nonspecific symptoms.
up to 12 months follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2007

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 31, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

December 31, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 17, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 17, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

May 21, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 21, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 17, 2019

Last Verified

May 1, 2019

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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