Table 2

Meta-regression analysis of the potential risk factors associated with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bb) infection in 58 included studies determining Bb seroprevalence confirmed by WB

Risk factorCohortSeroprevalence (95% CI)Random effects model
OR (95% CI)
P valueCohort
Overall5811.5% (9.4% to 13.8%)
Sex
Female205.5% (3.2% to 8.0%)Reference18
Male207.8% (4.6% to 11.9%)1.4 (1.2 to 1.9)0.00118
Age (years)
<40187.1% (5.1% to 9.5%)Reference9
40–49510.1% (4.6% to 17.6%)1.3 (1.0 to 1.6)0.0495
≥501412.6% (8.0% to 18.1%)2.0 (1.5 to 2.7)<0.0019
Residence
Rural98.4% (5.0% to 12.6%)Reference8
Urban95.4% (3.2% to 8.1%)0.7 (0.6 to 0.9)0.0028
Tick bites
Not suffering1010.5% (2.1% to 24.3%)Reference5
Suffering518.8% (10.1% to 29.4%)1.8 (1.0 to 3.2)0.0365
Different continents
Europe3514.0% (11.2% to 17.0%)
America109.4% (3.5% to 17.7%)
Asia107.4% (3.7% to 12.2%)
Caribbean12.0% (0.6% to 4.1%)
Different populations
General355.7% (4.3% to 7.3%)Reference8
High risk2214.7% (9.9% to 20.2%)1.6 (1.3 to 2.2)<0.0017
Tick bitten1018.8% (10.1% to 29.4%)2.5 (1.7 to 3.8)<0.0012
LB-like symptoms1321.3% (14.1% to 29.4%)5.8 (2.7 to 13.6)<0.0012
Methods
Methods not conf WB4116.3% (13.8% to 18.9%)Reference36
Methods conf WB4011.6% (9.5% to 14.0%)0.6 (0.6 to 0.7)<0.00136
Two time periods
2001–2010128.1% (5.7% to 10.8%)
2011–20214512.2% (9.6% to 15.0%)
  • LB, Lyme borreliosis; WB, western blotting.