The epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis in Italy

Erythema migrans was described in Italy only in 1971 although Italian dermatologists were familiar with it a long time before. In 1983, the first case of Lyme borreliosis with multisystem involvement was identified. The endemic areas in Italy are the Ligurian coast, the province of Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the region surrounding the town of Bologna. In Liguria, the incidence of Lyme disease is about 17/100,000 inhabitants per year. Serosurveys of the general population and of sentinel animals were useless in determining the diffusion of Lyme borreliosis whereas evaluation of people at risk of tick bites and patients with suggestive signs or symptoms was more effective. Among the clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, cutaneous involvement is four times more frequent than neuroborreliosis and arthritis is less frequent in Italy than in the USA.