In order to detect centres of family toxoplasmosis in rural environment 24.546 patients, suspected of invasion of T. gondii, 504 healthy persons coming from villages and 1.681 live stock were examined. Among persons suspected of infection of T. gondii, 65 cases of congenital family toxoplasmosis and 19 cases of environment family toxoplasmosis, involving several members of the family were detected. In animals a comparatively high percentage with positive reaction in the direct agglutination test (cattle 55.5%, swine 27.90/o, sheep 23.4%) was detected. The following serological tests were applied to humans: complement-binding test (OWD), indirect immunofluorescence test (OIF), direct agglutination test with 2-mercaptoethanol (CA), ELISA IgM and, selectively, immunoperoxidase test IgM (OIP). The results suggest that the environment conditions can play an important role in the occurrence of family toxoplasmosis in our country, especially in the countryside. Detecting active toxoplasmosis in a family member should be a signal to start serological-epidemiological examination of the remaining family members and live stock.
The paper presents the results of seroepidemiologic studies concerning tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in 1583 persons (1261 forestry workers and 233 farmers) from the Lublin region (eastern Poland) occupationally exposed to ticks and in 130 healthy blond donors (a control group). The mean percentage of seropositive reactions in forestry workers amounted 19.8% and in farmers 32.0%. Based on 5-year research (1994-1998) conducted in 5 districts of the Lublin region, an existence of endemic foci of TBE was detected in the district of Biała Podlaska. on the areas of Radzyń Podlaski and Parczew, where the percentage of seropositive reactions in forestry workers exceeded 50%. Statistical analysis showed that the frequency of seropositive reactions in forestry workers and farmers was significantly greater compated to control group (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). It indicates that these groups are occupationally exposed to TBE wirus. Totally, in the years 1994-98 nine clinical cases of TBE (acute neuroinfection) in forestry workers and fourteen clinical cases in farmers were confirmed serologically. The effectiveness of specific immunization againstTBE was proved on the brie of 100% seroconversion in 56 earlier seronegative forestry workers. The obtained results proved that forestry workers and farmers in Poland are under increased risk of infection with TBE virus.
Evaluation of occurrence of spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks in selected areas of the Lublin Region by polimerase chain reaction method (PCR). During the period 2001-2002, 1098 Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected at forest sampling sites and the degree of their infection with Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes was determined by means of polimerase chain reaction (PCR). The presence of Borrelia burgdorferi genetic material was noted in 69 cases (6.3%). lt was confirmed that the frequency of infection of adult forms of ticks (males and females) was nearly twice as high as nymphs. The highest degree of infection was observed in females – 9.5%. The degree of infection among males and nymphs was smaller - 5.9% and 4.4% respectively in individual provinces. The percentage of infected females ranged from 7.9% in the Zamość Province to 13.6% in the Włodawa Province. In males, the percentage of infected ticks remained within the range from 3.1% in the Lublin Province to 13.3% in the Lubartów Province.