Medical Misinformation in Polish on the World Wide Web During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period: Infodemiology Study.

Background: Although researchers extensively study the rapid generation and spread of misinformation about the novel coronavirus during the pandemic, numerous other health-related topics are contaminating the internet with misinformation that have not received as much attention.

Objective: This study aims to gauge the reach of the most popular medical content on the World Wide Web, extending beyond the confines of the pandemic. We conducted evaluations of subject matter and credibility for the years 2021 and 2022, following the principles of evidence-based medicine with assessments performed by experienced clinicians.

Anaplasmosis in Poland - analysis of 120 patients.

The aim of our study was to clarify the clinical picture of anaplasmosis through analysis of the symptoms and clinical signs presented by infected patients in a cohort of tick-bitten individuals. The study included 1375 patients with suspicion of tick-borne disease. Finally, 120 patients (8.

The lymphocyte populations and their migration into the central nervous system in tick-borne encephalitis.

In tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytosis is dominated by T CD3+CD4+ and T CD3+CD8+ lymphocytes, but their pathogenetic roles and mechanisms of migration into central nervous system (CNS) are unclear. Currently, we have studied CSF lymphocyte subsets and chemotactic axes in TBE patients stratified according to the clinical presentation. Blood and CSF were obtained from 51 patients with TBE (presenting as meningitis in 30, meningoencephalitis in 18 and meningoencephalomyelitis in 3), 20 with non-TBE meningitis and 11 healthy controls.

Assessment of Anaplasma phagocytophilum presence in early Lyme borreliosis manifested by erythema migrans skin lesions.

Background: To investigate to what extent early Lyme borreliosis patients with erythema migrans are infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Methods: Three hundred ten patients from Poland with erythema migrans were included in the study. One hundred and eighty-three patients (59%) agreed to have both skin biopsy and blood samples analysed for Borrelia burgdorferi, A.

Analysis of CCL-4, CCL-17, CCL-20 and IL-8 concentrations in the serum of patients with tick-borne encephalitis and anaplasmosis.

Purpose: Tick-borne co-infections are a serious epidemiological and clinical problem. Only a few studies aimed to investigate the effect of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) co-infection in the course of the inflammatory process and the participation of chemokines in the pathomechanism of these diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate CCL-4, CCL-17, CCL-20, and IL-8 serum concentrations in patients with HGA, TBE and HGA + TBE co-infection.

Assessment of the tau protein concentration in patients with tick-borne encephalitis.

There have been suggestions that tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) may cause neurodenenerative changes in the brain. The aim of this study was the assessment of the tau protein concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with different clinical forms of TBE. The concentration of tau protein in CSF was determined using Fujirebio tests (Ghent, Belgium) in 35 patients with TBE: group I-patients with meningitis (n = 16); group II-patients with meningoencephalitis (n = 19).

Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans: various faces of the late form of Lyme borreliosis.

Introduction: Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA) is probably the most common late and chronic manifestation of the Lyme borreliosis seen in European patients.

Aim: To analyze epidemiological data, and to investigate the effects of treatment of patients with ACA.

Material And Methods: Nine patients were included in the study.

Sequelae of tick-borne encephalitis in retrospective analysis of 1072 patients.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an emerging vector-borne disease in Europe. The aim of the study was to evaluate sequelae and to analyse the potential risk factors predisposing to sequelae development. We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of 1072 patients who received a 1-month follow-up appointment after hospital discharge.

The intrathecal expression and pathogenetic role of Th17 cytokines and CXCR2-binding chemokines in tick-borne encephalitis.

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a clinically variable but potentially severe Flavivirus infection, with the outcome strongly dependent on secondary immunopathology. Neutrophils are present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of TBE patients, but their pathogenetic role remains unknown. In animal models, neutrophils contributed both to the Flavivirus entry into central nervous system (CNS) and to the control of the encephalitis, which we attempted to evaluate in human TBE.

Intrathecal expression of IL-5 and humoral response in patients with tick-borne encephalitis.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the role of an early specific humoral response in human infection with a tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and the role of IL-5 as its potential mediator and marker.

Materials And Methods: The retrospective study involved a cohort of 199 patients diagnosed with TBE, in whom anti-TBEV IgM and IgG antibody titers were analyzed on admission and compared with clinical presentation and basic laboratory parameters. The prospective study included 50 TBE patients in whom IL-5 serum and CSF concentration was measured with ELISA on admission in the TBE neurologic phase and in selected patients before discharge, at follow-up or in samples obtained before the neurologic phase onset.

Tick-borne infections and co-infections in patients with non-specific symptoms in Poland.

Aim: The aim of the study was the evaluation of the frequency of infections and co-infections among patients hospitalized because of non-specific symptoms after a tick bite.

Materials And Methods: Whole blood, serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from 118 patients hospitalised for non-specific symptoms up to 8 weeks after tick bite from 2010 to 2013 were examined for tick-borne infections. ELISA, Western blot and/or molecular biology (PCR; fla gene; 16S rRNA; sequencing) and thin blood smears (MDD) were used.

Analysis of the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism of the CD209, IL-10, IL-28 and CCR5 D32 genes with the human predisposition to developing tick-borne encephalitis.

<b>Introduction: </b>It is known that in the pathogenesis of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) various molecules play a significant role. The most prominent factors include IL-10, IL-28B, CD-209 and CCR5. It is reasonable to search for genetic predispositions to the development of various clinical forms of TBE related to the genetic variation of IL-10, IL-28B, CD-209 and CCR5.

The increased concentration of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with tick-borne encephalitis.

Background: Host factors determining the clinical presentation of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are not fully elucidated. The peripheral inflammatory response to TBE virus is hypothesized to facilitate its entry into central nervous system by disrupting the blood-brain barrier with the involvement of a signaling route including Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and pro-inflammatory cytokines macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β).

Methods: Concentrations of MIF, TNFα, and IL-1β were measured with commercial ELISA in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 36 hospitalized TBE patients, 7 patients with non-TBE meningitis, and 6 controls.

Evaluation of NF-κB concentration in patients with tick-borne encephalitis, neuroborreliosis, anaplasmosis and Anaplasma phagocythophilum with tick-borne encephalitis virus co-infection.

Objectives: The aim of the study was the evaluation of NF-κB concentration in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with diagnosis of tick-borne diseases: tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), neuroborreliosis (NB), anaplasmosis (ANA) and patients co-infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus and Anaplasma phagocythophilum (TBE+ANA). Additionally NF-κB concentration during acute and convalescent period was compared.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients with diagnosis of tick-borne diseases were included in the study.

Usefulness of copeptin as a potential biomarker in TBE.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of copeptin for differentiation of hyponatremia in the course of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and for being a prognostic marker of the severity of TBE.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients with TBE were included in the study. The control group consisted of 62 patients diagnosed with viral meningitis.

Influence of climatic, demographic and socioeconomic factors on tick-borne encephalitis incidence in 6 counties of Podlaskie region in 1994-2014.

Objectives: The aim of the study was the analysis of possible influence of meteorologic, socioeconomic factors and land cover changes on tick borne encephalitis (TBE) incidence in Podlaskie region. We analyzed data from 6 counties in Podlaskie region (białostocki, suwalski, hajnowski, grajewski, kolneński, siemiatycki) from years 1994-2014.

Materials And Methods: The analyzed data included: mean, minimal, maximal air temperatures (measured at 2 m above ground level), temperature amplitudes, rainfall, number of days with snowfall and duration of snow cover presence, population of each county, number of people employed as foresters, hunters, farmers and unemployed, area of each county, forests and agricultural area.

Synthesis of Th17 cytokines in the culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.

Introduction And Objective: Th17 lymphocytes and their cytokines, interleukin 17A (IL-17A), IL-17F and IL-22, participate in the response to extracellular bacteria and in the autoimmunity and may be engaged in the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis. Concentrations were measured of IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22 in the supernatant of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) culture stimulated with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi).

The expression of the chemokine receptor CCR5 in tick-borne encephalitis.

Background: Chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is hypothesized to drive the lymphocyte migration to central nervous system in flavivirus encephalitis, and the non-functional CCR5Δ32 genetic variant was identified as a risk factor of a West Nile virus infection and of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). We have attempted to investigate how CCR5 expression corresponds to the clinical course and severity of TBE.

Methods: We have repeatedly studied CCR5 expression in 76 patients during encephalitic and convalescent TBE phase, analyzing its association with clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid (csf) pleocytosis, and concentrations of CCR5 ligands (chemokines CCL3, CCL4, and CCL5) and CCR5 genotype.

MRI and planimetric CT follow-up study of patients with severe tick-borne encephalitis.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and planimetric computed tomography (CT) of brain lesions in patients with a history of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE); to assess the influence of steroid treatment on the brain and whether lesions were age-dependent.

Methods: A total of 19 patients with abnormal initial imaging in the acute stage of the disease had a follow-up MRI after 1 year; 34 patients hospitalized for TBE encephalitis/encephalomyelitis had planimetric CT after 10 years.

Results: On MRI cortico-subcortical atrophy with widening of anterior horns of the lateral ventricles and vascular changes was more marked on follow-up examination.

Predictors for diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis infection in Poland, 2009-2010.

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection with no available treatment. Due to its non-specific symptoms, TBE tends to be under-diagnosed and under-reported. We aimed to identify factors predicting TBE diagnosis to develop a diagnostic algorithm for use by physicians.

Comparison of detection of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA and anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in patients with erythema migrans in north-eastern Poland.

Introduction: Diagnostic methods in erythema migrans are still not standardized.

Aim: To evaluate the frequency of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l.

Increased expression of Fas receptor and Fas ligand in the culture of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.

Apoptosis of the lymphocytes plays an essential role in the regulation of inflammatory/immune responses and its abnormalities may contribute to a chronic infection, persistent inflammation and autoimmunity. Its role in the pathogenesis of the late Lyme borreliosis manifestations has not been studied so far. We have measured Th lymphocyte apoptosis rate, membrane expression of pro-apoptotic Fas receptor, and supernatant concentrations of selected soluble pro- and anti-apoptotic mediators in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 16 patients with disseminated Lyme borreliosis (6 with osteoarticular symptoms, 7 with neuroborreliosis and 3 with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans) and 8 healthy controls.

Increased concentration of interferon lambda-3, interferon beta and interleukin-10 in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with tick-borne encephalitis.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has a wide clinical spectrum, from asymptomatic to severe encephalitis, and host-dependent factors determining the outcome remain elusive. We have measured concentrations of pro-inflammatory/Th1 interferon-γ (IFNγ), immunomodulatory/Th2 interleukin-10 (IL-10), anti-viral type I (IFNβ) and type III (IFNλ3) interferons in cerebrospinal fluid (csf) and serum of 18 TBE patients, simultaneously genotyped for polymorphisms associated with the expression of genes IFNL3 (coding IFNλ3), IL10, CD209 and CCR5. IL-10, IFNβ and IFNλ3 were up-regulated in csf, with IFNλ3 level higher in patients with the milder clinical presentation (meningitis) than in meningoencephalitis.

Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies detection by RLB hybridization in Ixodes ricinus ticks from different sites of North-Eastern Poland.

Introduction: RLB (Reverse Line Blot Hybridization) is a molecular biology technique that might be used for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) DNA detection with genospecies specification. Among B. burgdorferi sl genospecies at least 7 are regarded as pathogenic in Europe.