Lyme Snap: a feasibility study of on-line declarations of erythema migrans in a rural area of France

Publication date: Available online 30 September 2019Source: Ticks and Tick-borne DiseasesAuthor(s): P. Letertre-Gibert, G. Vourc’h, I. Lebert, M. Rene-Martellet, V. Corbin-Valdenaire, D. Portal-Martineau, J. Beytout, O. LesensAbstractThe incidence of Lyme borreliosis remains a matter of debate, but it can be estimated using the incidence of erythema migrans (EM), which is pathognomonic of the first phase. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to assess the feasibility of the on-line declaration of EM in rural areas where the incidence of Lyme borreliosis was previously estimated at 85 per 100,000 inhabitants per year.The study was limited to a rural area (Les Combrailles, Auvergne) of approximately 52,800 inhabitants and was preceded by an information campaign for the inhabitants and the healthcare professionals. Patients who sent a photo of the suspected EM by email or MMS message between April 2017 and April 2018 and who accepted to answer a questionnaire were included in the study. Two physicians then evaluated the quality of the photographs and the probability of EM. In parallel, the number of EM seen by physicians and pharmacists in the area over the given period was recorded.Out of the 113 emails and MMS messages received, 73 people were outside of the trial area or period and 9 did not complete the questionnaire. The photos of the remaining 31 people were analysed. The median age was 51.5 years old ([38-58] IQR) and 18 (58%) were women. Seven people (25%) state...
Source: Ticks and Tick borne Diseases - Category: Zoology Source Type: research