Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34051756›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021

Ticking on Pandora's box: a prospective case-control study into 'other' tick-borne diseases.

D Hoornstra, M G Harms, S A Gauw, A Wagemakers, T Azagi, K Kremer, H Sprong, C C van den Wijngaard, J W Hovius

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Babesiosis and Its Significance in Transfusion Medicine from a European Point of View.Transfusion medicine and hemotherapy : offizielles Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhamatologie · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
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  5. Assembly and Comparison ofMicroorganisms · 2022
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

D HoornstraAmsterdam UMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Institute of Infection and Immunology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22660 (1100 DD), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. pandora@amc.uva.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0347-2049
M G HarmsNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center of Infectious Disease Control, P.O. Box 1 (3720 BA), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
S A GauwAmsterdam UMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Institute of Infection and Immunology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22660 (1100 DD), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
A WagemakersAmsterdam UMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Institute of Infection and Immunology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22660 (1100 DD), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
T AzagiNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center of Infectious Disease Control, P.O. Box 1 (3720 BA), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
K KremerNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center of Infectious Disease Control, P.O. Box 1 (3720 BA), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
H SprongNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center of Infectious Disease Control, P.O. Box 1 (3720 BA), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
C C van den WijngaardNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Center of Infectious Disease Control, P.O. Box 1 (3720 BA), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
J W HoviusAmsterdam UMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Institute of Infection and Immunology, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22660 (1100 DD), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment · NLAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NL

Funding

ZonMw 50-52200-98-313
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTick-borne pathogens other than Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato - the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis - are common in Ixodes ricinus ticks. How often these pathogens cause human disease is unknown. In addition, diagnostic tools to identify such diseases are lacking or reserved to research laboratories. To elucidate their prevalence and disease burden, the study 'Ticking on Pandora's Box' has been initiated, a collaborative effort between Amsterdam University Medical Center and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.

methodsThe study investigates how often the tick-borne pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia species, Borrelia miyamotoi, Neoehrlichia mikurensis, spotted fever group Rickettsia species and/or tick-borne encephalitis virus cause an acute febrile illness after tick-bite. We aim to determine the impact and severity of these tick-borne diseases in the Netherlands by measuring their prevalence and describing their clinical picture and course of disease. The study is designed as a prospective case-control study. We aim to include 150 cases - individuals clinically suspected of a tick-borne disease - and 3 matched healthy control groups of 200 persons each. The controls consist respectively of a group of individuals with either a tick-bite without complaints, the general population and of healthy blood donors. During a one-year follow-up we will acquire blood, urine and skin biopsy samples and ticks at baseline, 4 and 12 weeks. Additionally, participants answer modified versions of validated questionnaires to assess self-reported symptoms, among which the SF-36, on a 3 monthly basis. DISCUSSION: This article describes the background and design of the study protocol of 'Ticking on Pandora's Box'. With our study we hope to provide insight into the prevalence, clinical presentation and disease burden of the tick-borne diseases anaplasmosis, babesiosis, B. miyamotoi disease, neoehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis and tick-borne encephalitis and to assist in test development as well as provide recommendations for national guidelines.

trial registrationNL9258 (retrospectively registered at Netherlands Trial Register, trialregister.nl in in February 2021).

Indexed as

AdultAnimalsBloodCase-Control StudiesDNA, BacterialFeverFollow-Up StudiesHumansIxodesMiddle AgedNetherlandsPrevalenceProspective StudiesReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSeverity of Illness IndexSkinDNA, BacterialFever after tick-biteHard tick-borne feverIxodes ricinus ticksProspective case-control studyStudy protocolTick-borne diseasesTick-borne pathogens

Identifiers

PMID34051756
PMCPMC8164744
OpenAlexW3164229984

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.