TNMU Continues Research on the Epidemiology, Clinical Aspects, and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis Among Foresters in Rivne Region and Conducts Trials of the “AcuDart™ Lyme Rapid Home Test”

On April 1 and 3, 2025, a working group of scientists from the Department of Infectious Diseases with Epidemiology, Dermatology, and Venereology of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University visited forestry workers in Rivne region.

The main goal was to assess the knowledge of local foresters about the epidemiology, main clinical manifestations, and prevention of Lyme borreliosis, as well as to conduct a trial of the “AcuDart™ Lyme Rapid Home Test” — a non-automated immunochromatographic self-testing method (in vitro) for qualitative detection of IgG and IgM antibodies specific to Borrelia burgdorferi in human capillary whole blood from individuals with signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.

The research is being conducted as part of a joint scientific project with the infectious disease diagnostics laboratory “ID-FISH Technology” (Milpitas, USA).

A total of 49 employees from the Dubno Forestry Branch and 44 from the Sarny Forestry Branch of the State Specialized Forestry Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” were surveyed.

All participants completed a questionnaire, where they reported tick bite locations and frequency, methods of tick removal, whether ticks were tested for Lyme disease pathogens, post-bite symptoms, use of repellents when entering forest zones, and skin self-checks after leaving these areas. The foresters also evaluated their knowledge of Lyme borreliosis and noted the need for more in-depth information on its prevention and clinical signs.

Simultaneously, the “AcuDart™ Lyme Rapid Home Test” was trialed in three stages:

Stage 1: Capillary blood collection and visual evaluation of the test.

Stage 2: Venous blood collection and subsequent visual test evaluation.

Stage 3: Analysis of test cassettes containing both capillary and venous blood using the Acudart Lyme LFA – iPeak Reader, a device designed for visualizing and quantifying test results. The reader captures an image of the cassette, identifies the control and test lines, and quantitatively assesses their intensity relative to the control background.

At the same time, venous blood samples were collected from all 49 employees of the Dubno branch and 44 from the Sarny branch for further laboratory testing for Lyme disease pathogens at the Center for the Study of Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-borne Infections — part of the Interdepartmental Educational and Research Laboratory of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University.

The project participants express their sincere gratitude to TNMU Rector Mykhailo Korda, Vice-Rector for Science, Education and Clinical Affairs Stepan Zaporozhan, and Vice-Rector for Science, Education and Social Affairs Oleh Slabyi for their active assistance in preparing and conducting the examinations.