LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS OF LYME BORRELIOSIS IN CHILDREN WITH TICKS BITES IN TERNOPIL REGION

Lyme disease (systematic tick Borreliosis, Lyme Borreliosis, chronic erythema migrans) is a naturally-occurring disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, that manifests by migratory ring-shaped erythema, fever, affection of central and peripheral nervous system, heart and large joints. The aim of research was investigation the frequency of infection by Borrellia in children of Ternopil region . 150 children were examined, by interrogation and appropriate laboratory's examination. Age of children was 1 - 16 years old. according to the two-stage diagnostic scheme - Elisa in combination with the immunoblot assay. Erythema migrans was diagnosed in 27.4% of children, while asymptomatic form of the disease was revealed in 72.6%. 63 (42.0%) of children were infected with Borrelia among which 24 (38.1%) - with erythema migrans and 39 (61.9%) of responders with the form of disease without erythema. Conclusions. 1. Among 150 examined children, IgM or IgG antibodies to the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex (B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii and B. garinii) were detected in 63 (42%) cases. 2. Positive or intermediate results were obtained from 24 (58.5%) respondents with erythema migrans and 39 (57, 2%) with an endemic form of the disease among 150 children of Ternopil region. 2. High levels of IgG was detected in antigens of B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex (up to 83.3%) in blood serum confirmed by the immunoblot of children of Ternopil region, which may indicate a tendency to chronic disease. 3. A high percentage of B. burgdorferi sensu lato infection was detected in 2/3 of 150 children in the region and it was confirmed by ELISA and immunoblot.