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Stroffolini G, Segala FV, Lupia T, Faraoni S, Rossi L, Tomassone L, Zanet S, De Rosa FG, Di Perri G, Calcagno A. Serology for Borrelia spp. in Northwest Italy: A Climate-Matched 10-Year Trend. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11121310. [PMID: 34947841 PMCID: PMC8706290 DOI: 10.3390/life11121310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous parasites that can transmit a variety of human pathogens, and their life cycle is dependent on several climatic factors for development and survival. We conducted a study in Piedmont and Aosta Valley, Italy, between 2009 and 2018. The study matched human sample serologies for Borrelia spp. with publicly available climatic and meteorological data. A total of 12,928 serological immunofluorescence assays (IFA) and Western blot (WB) tests were analysed. The median number of IFA and WB tests per year was 1236 (range 700–1997), with the highest demand in autumn 2018 (N = 289). In the study period, positive WB showed an increasing trend, peaking in 2018 for both IgM (N = 97) and IgG (N = 61). These results were consistent with a regional climatic variation trending towards an increase in both temperature and humidity. Our results suggest that coupling data from epidemiology and the environment, and the use of a “one health” approach, may provide a powerful tool in understanding disease transmission and strengthen collaboration between specialists in the era of climate instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Stroffolini
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy; (G.D.P.); (A.C.)
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (F.V.S.); Tel.: +39-0114393793 (G.S.)
| | - Francesco Vladimiro Segala
- Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (F.V.S.); Tel.: +39-0114393793 (G.S.)
| | - Tommaso Lupia
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Cardinal Massaia Hospital, 14100 Asti, Italy; (T.L.); (F.G.D.R.)
| | - Silvia Faraoni
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Ospedale Amedeo di Savoia, ASL “Città di Torino”, 10149 Turin, Italy;
| | - Luca Rossi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy; (L.R.); (L.T.); (S.Z.)
| | - Laura Tomassone
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy; (L.R.); (L.T.); (S.Z.)
| | - Stefania Zanet
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy; (L.R.); (L.T.); (S.Z.)
| | | | - Giovanni Di Perri
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy; (G.D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Andrea Calcagno
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy; (G.D.P.); (A.C.)
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