Our previous serological surveillance studies of the Iowa white-tailed deer herd in 1993, 1994, and 1996 suggested that the agents of Lyme disease, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), and human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) are present in many counties of the state and pose a potential threat to humans across the state. Additionally, travel to nearby known endemic areas for these tick-borne diseases put Iowans at risk. However, each year relatively few human cases are reported by physicians in the state. We believe these infections are under-recognized and under-reported in the state. In this study we performed retrospective serologic surveillance of human sera (n=760) for several tick-borne diseases. The panel included IgG and IgM antibody studies for Lyme disease, HGE, HME, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and typhus fever.

The methodologies used were enzyme-immunosorbant assay, immuno-fluorescent antibody studies, and Western blot assays, where appropriate. Of the 760 sera tested, 668 were submitted for testing for one of the tick-borne agents and an additional 92 sera submitted for enterovirus serology and found to be negative were included in the study.

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