[Seroprevalence of Lyme disease in Navarra, Spain].

Background And Objective: To establish the seroprevalence of infection by Borrelia burgdorferi in Navarre (Spain).

Patients And Method: Serum samples of 1,429 individuals considered representative of the population of Navarre were analyzed. The individuals were recruited from a list issued by the government of Navarre. The subjects were stratified according to three variables: age, sex and the health zone to which they belonged. In all cases a written informed consent was obtained.

Results: The global seroprevalence in Navarre was 4.4%. Being a stockbreeder (13.2%) in contact with cows and sheep was found to be a risk factor after the analysis of different variables such as sex, age, contact with cattle, profession, living in rural areas, a prior history of having been bitten by a tick or the size of the city.

Conclusions: Navarre provides suitable conditions for the prevalence and development of Lyme disease, with a global seroprevalence or 4.4%. No differences were found between the different areas analyzed, while being a stockbreeder represents a risk factor.