Lyme disease surveillance in the United States: Looking for ways to cut the Gordian knot

Summary Current surveillance methods have been useful to document geographic expansion of Lyme disease in the United States and to monitor the increasing incidence of this major public health problem. Nevertheless, these approaches are resource‐intensive, generate results that are difficult to compa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Zoonoses and public health 2018-03, Vol.65 (2), p.227-229
Main Authors: Cartter, M. L., Lynfield, R., Feldman, K. A., Hook, S. A., Hinckley, A. F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alternative
Borrelia - isolation & purification
Borrelia burgdorferi
Diseases
human
Humans
Lyme disease
Lyme Disease - epidemiology
Population Surveillance
Public health
Surveillance
Teaching methods
underreporting
United States - epidemiology
Vector-borne diseases
Zoonoses
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Summary:Summary Current surveillance methods have been useful to document geographic expansion of Lyme disease in the United States and to monitor the increasing incidence of this major public health problem. Nevertheless, these approaches are resource‐intensive, generate results that are difficult to compare across jurisdictions, and measure less than the total burden of disease. By adopting more efficient methods, resources could be diverted instead to education of at‐risk populations and new approaches to prevention. In this special issue of Zoonoses and Public Health, seven articles are presented that either evaluate traditional Lyme disease surveillance methods or explore alternatives that have the potential to be less costly, more reliable, and sustainable. Twenty‐five years have passed since Lyme disease became a notifiable condition – it is time to reevaluate the purpose and goals of national surveillance.
ISSN:1863-1959
1863-2378
DOI:10.1111/zph.12448