Possibility of Lyme disease as an occupational disease-- seroepidemiological study of regional residents and forestry workers.

We conducted a study to investigate the state of human infection by the Lyme disease pathogen by determining the prevalence of positivity for serum anti-body to Borrelia burgdorferi among regional residents and forestry workers in Nagano Prefecture. Assay of the antibody titer was performed by indirect fluorescent antibody technique (IFA) using Borrelia burgdorferi strain B-31 as the antigen. The study was based on the results of an earlier investigation to test our prediction of high infection rates for adult ticks of I.persulcatus and I.ovatus in Nagano Prefecture. The study results showed infection to regional residents and forestry workers by the Lyme disease pathogen and a significantly higher positive rate in forestry workers than in regional residents. These findings indicate the need to consider this disorder as an occupational disease of forestry workers.