Szewczyk-Dąbrowska, A., Budziar, W., Harhala, M. et al. Correlation between COVID-19 severity and previous exposure of patients to Borrelia spp.. Sci Rep 12, 15944 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20202-x
Also, read Medical News Today article.
- In this study, all hospitalized COVID-19 patients tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG, with significantly higher levels in severe cases.
- Patients with a history of Borrelia exposure showed increased susceptibility to severe COVID-19 upon SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Severe COVID-19 patients also exhibited higher levels of IgGs specific to Anaplasma antigens, suggesting a potential link between increased COVID-19 risks and tick bites and related infections.
- Testing for Borrelia-specific IgM revealed higher positivity in hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to mild/asymptomatic patients and those not infected with SARS-CoV-2. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds of COVID-19 hospitalization increased with each positive read for a Lyme disease-related antigen for IgG antibodies.
- Multivariate analysis highlighted specific Borrelia antigens associated with increased odds of hospitalization for both IgG and IgM antibodies. These findings suggest a potential connection between Borrelia exposure and the severity of COVID-19 outcomes.
Gabriella True
