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Volume: 5
Issue: 09
Date: 08-Sep-97


Table of Contents:

I.    LYMENET: Lyme Disease Network Fundraiser set for Oct 4
II.   EUR J EPIDEMIOL: Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in
      Ixodes ricinus populations in France, according to a
      phytoecological zoning of the territory.
III.  S AFR MED J: Lyme disease in South Africa.
IV.   INT J EPIDEMIOL: The geographical distribution of tick
      bites and erythema migrans in general practice in The
      Netherlands.
V.    J INFECT DIS: Seroepidemiology of emerging tickborne
      infectious diseases in a Northern California community.
VI.   About The LymeNet Newsletter


Newsletter:

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*                         LymeNet Newsletter                          *
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IDX#                Volume 5 / Number 09 / 08-SEP-97
IDX#                            INDEX
IDX#
IDX#  I.    LYMENET: Lyme Disease Network Fundraiser set for Oct 4
IDX#  II.   EUR J EPIDEMIOL: Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in
IDX#        Ixodes ricinus populations in France, according to a
IDX#        phytoecological zoning of the territory.
IDX#  III.  S AFR MED J: Lyme disease in South Africa.
IDX#  IV.   INT J EPIDEMIOL: The geographical distribution of tick
IDX#        bites and erythema migrans in general practice in The
IDX#        Netherlands.
IDX#  V.    J INFECT DIS: Seroepidemiology of emerging tickborne
IDX#        infectious diseases in a Northern California community.
IDX#  VI.   About The LymeNet Newsletter
IDX#



NOTE: For the most recent Lyme Disease headlines, visit the LymeNet
Home Page on the Internet at:  http://www.lymenet.org/



I.    LYMENET: Lyme Disease Network Fundraiser set for Oct 4
------------------------------------------------------------
Sender: Angela Bachmann <[email protected]>


The second Annual Bachmann Bash for the LYME DISEASE NETWORK of New
Jersey will take place on Saturday, October 4, 1997 at St. Michael's
Church Hall in Paterson, New Jersey, from 7PM to 11PM.  The non-profit
Lyme Disease Network, which operates entirely on individual donations,
is responsible for the LymeNet series of services available on the
Internet since 1994.


We are going to recreate the wonderful tradition that my grandfather
Bachmann began in his Paterson bar many years ago.  At "Paul's Tavern"
dear friends and family gathered once a year for a huge party where
they shared a day filled with singing, dancing, eating and laughter.


We hope you can join us this year at the 2nd Annual Bachmann Bash
where there will be music dancing, food, raffles and so much more!  
Thanks to our wonderful family and friends, the 1st Annual Bachmann
Bash given for the Lyme Disease Network of NJ was a huge success!  
The Network is a non-profit foundation dedicated to educating the
public about the prevention and treatment of Lyme and is a great
source of comfort especially to the newly-afflicted.


Our daughter, Lori, has Lyme Disease and, in this manner, we became
acquainted with the LDN and the wonderful work they do.  A variety
of different medications have helped her regain much of her
strength and she will be returning to her teaching position after
almost a two-year absence!


The Lyme Disease Network is able to operate solely on donations and
it is so very important that we support them so that they'll be
able to continue their Internet service.  Please TRY to attend.  
If you're unable to do so, contributions will be gratefully accepted.


Our best to you, Angela and Lou Bachmann

______________________________________________________________________
RSVP by 9/22/97


Proceeds to benefit the Lyme Disease Network of NJ

Return this section with your check made payable to:

Angela Bachmann
16 Willow CT,
Totowa, NJ  07512


Ticket:$20 per person - If not attending, donations gratefully accepted


Name__________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________

#People_______________________________________________

Enclosed$_____________________________________________

Directions to the Bachmann Bash Party
St. Michael's Church Hall
Cianci & Market Street, Paterson, NJ


If directions are needed, please email me.  There is free parking in
the church hall lot on the corner of Cianci & Market Sts; in the
church lot behind the church on Elm (go left/left/left around
the block due to one-way streets); in the city lot one block past the
church hall on the corner of Cianci & Ellison (opposite La Trattoria).



=====*=====


II.   EUR J EPIDEMIOL: Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes
     ricinus populations in France, according to a phytoecological
     zoning of the territory.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Gilot B, Degeilh B, Pichot J, Doche B, Guiguen C
ORGANIZATION: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Faculte de Medecine,
             Universite d'Aix-Marseille, France.
REFERENCE: Eur J Epidemiol 1996 Aug;12(4):395-401
ABSTRACT:


Ixodes ricinus is considered as the main vector of Lyme Borreliosis
in France.  The aim of our investigations was to obtain a
comprehensive view of the spatial risk linked to the distribution of
the species in our country.  Previous studies [1] have provided strong
evidence that the species populations are widely distributed, so the
objective of the present work was to ascertain the bacteriological
infection of the tick by the agent of the zoonosis (Borrelia
burgdorferi, sensu lato), over the French territory, whatever the
ecological conditions may be.  For this purpose, we kept the same
framework as that used in our acarological investigation, a
phytoecological zoning of the territory into 54 geographically
separate and ecologically distinct units distributed into three
climatic zones.  Batches of ticks, picked up in these different
phytoecological units (only two thirds of which were sampled), were
submitted for bacteriological investigation. A total of 4,673 ticks
were examined, individually, for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi,

by immunofluorescence.  Percentages of infection according to the
various stages of Ixodes ricinus free stages, collected by flagging,
were as follows: 4.95% in 3,247 nymphs, 11.2% in 699 males, 12.5% in
727 females.  Larvae were ignored.  Practically all the tested units
harboured the bacterium.  The percentage of tick samples (25 ticks or
more) absolutely free of Borrelia, wherever they came from, is very
low (not exceeding 10 percent of the sampled forests).  Our study
confirms the assessment of a widespread distribution of the zoonosis
in France which was, until now, exclusively based on an approximate
distribution of limited human cases observed in the country.



=====*=====


III.  S AFR MED J: Lyme disease in South Africa.
------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Strijdom SC, Berk M
ORGANIZATION: Department of Psychiatry, University of the
             Witwastersrand, Johannesburg.
REFERENCE: S Afr Med J 1996 Jun;86(6 Suppl):741-4
ABSTRACT:


OBJECTIVE: This article presents an overview of Lyme disease (LD) as
it applies to neuropsychiatry and summarises research results on the
epidemiology of LD in South Africa.  METHOD: The study is based on a
review of research papers from various medical disciplines that
focused on the epidemiology of LD in South Africa.  
RESULTS: Assessment of the incidence of LD in South Africa is based
on a few anecdotal studies. The results of the studies are dominated
by experimental weeknesses.  CONCLUSIONS: The sporadic nature of LD
Incidence in South Africa may either reflect a restriction of research
efforts or be a true indication of the epidemiology of the disease.
This review lends support to the former hypothesis.  The low reported
incidence of LD in South Africa is probably due to a lack of awareness
and research effort.



=====*=====


IV.   INT J EPIDEMIOL: The geographical distribution of tick bites and
     erythema migrans in general practice in The Netherlands.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: de Mik EL, van Pelt W, Docters-van Leeuwen BD, van der Veen A
        Schellekens JF, Borgdorff MW
ORGANIZATION: Department for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, National
             Institute of Public Health and the Environment, BA
             Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
REFERENCE: Int J Epidemiol 1997 Apr;26(2):451-7
ABSTRACT:


BACKGROUND: Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi which is
transmitted in Europe by the tick ixodes ricinus.  Erythema migrans is
a skin lesion which is pathognomonic of Lyme disease.  A retrospective
study was carried out to determine the geographical distribution of
the occurrence of tick bites and erythema migrans in the Netherlands
and to identify ecological risk factors.  METHODS: In April 1995, all
general practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands were asked to complete
a postal questionnaire on the number of tick bites and erythema migrans
case-patients seen in 1994 and the size of the practice.  Reminders
were sent to non-responders.  Information on ecological risk factors
by local government area was obtained from a geographical information
system.  RESULTS: The response rate was 79.9%.  In 1994, GPs reported
seeing approximately 33,000 patients with tick bites and 6500 with
erythema migrans.  The incidence rate of erythema migrans was
estimated at 4.3 per 10,000 population.  Ecological risk factors for

both tick bites and erythema migrans were the proportion of the area
covered by woods, sandy soil, dry uncultivated land, the number of
tourist-nights per inhabitant and sheep population density.  The
cattle population density was a risk factor for erythema migrans.
CONCLUSIONS: Using simple methods, a crude estimate of the incidence
rate of erythema migrans was obtained rapidly, and high risk areas
were identified.  Lyme disease appears to be an important problem
in the Netherlands.



=====*=====


V.    J INFECT DIS: Seroepidemiology of emerging tickborne infectious
     diseases in a Northern California community.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Fritz CL, Kjemtrup AM, Conrad PA, Flores GR, Campbell GL,
        Schriefer ME, Gallo D, Vugia DJ
ORGANIZATION: Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National
             Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease
             Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
ABSTRACT:


A seroprevalence and risk factor study of emerging tickborne infectious
diseases (Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis) was conducted
among 230 residents of a semirural community in Sonoma County,
California.  Over 50% of residents reported finding a tick on
themselves in the preceding 12 months.  Samples from 51(23%) residents
were seroreactive to antigens from one or more tickborne disease
agents: 1.4% to Borrelia burgdorferi, 0.4% to Ehrlichia equi, 4.6% to
Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and 17.8% to the Babesia-like piroplasm WA1.
Only 14 (27%) of these seroreactive residents reported one or more
symptoms compatible with these diseases.  Seroreactivity was
significantly associated with younger age (<16 years), longer residence
in the community (11-20 years), and having had a physician's diagnosis
of Lyme disease.  In northern California, the risk of infection with
these emerging tickborne diseases, particularly in children, may be
greater than previously recognized.



=====*=====


VI.   ABOUT THE LYMENET NEWSLETTER
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         The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey
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