ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN NORTH-EASTERN ROMANIA – A TRIGGER FACTOR FOR LYME DISEASE
Lyme disease is a zoonosis with systemic clinical manifestations, determined by species of the genus Borrelia and transmitted to
humans through the sting of infected ticks. In order to assess the incidence of Lyme borreliosis among patients in the North-Eastern
part of Romania, we performed a retrospective study, following the cases of patients with tick bites who presented themselves at
the “Sf. Parascheva” Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital, Iasi, between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017. We encountered
1257 cases, of which 89 suspected of borreliosis, most from rural area, the average age being 27 years. Although the number of
confirmed or probable cases of Lyme disease is small compared to the total number of patients stung by ticks, we should not neglect
preventive measures and antibiotic prophylaxis when appropriate. The fact that climate change in recent years and pet ownership
have led to an increase in the incidence of borreliosis in the population is unquestionable.