414 Routine Screening of Pregnant Women for Lyme Disease in An Endemic Area “Is It Worth It”

This study provides a novel method of documenting established populations of bird-feeding ticks. Single populations of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, and the rabbit tick, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, were revealed in southwestern Québec, Canada. Blacklegged tick nymphs and, similarly, larval and nymphal rabbit ticks were tested for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), using PCR and the flagellin (flaB) gene, and 14 (42%) of 33 of blacklegged tick nymphs tested were positive. In contrast, larval and nymphal H. leporsipalustris ticks were negative for Bbsl. The occurrence of Bbsl in I. scapularis nymphs brings to light the presence of a Lyme disease endemic area at this songbird nesting locality. Because our findings denote that this area is a Lyme disease endemic area, and I. scapularis is a human-biting tick, local residents and outdoor workers must take preventive measures to avoid tick bites. Furthermore, local healthcare practitioners must include Lyme disease in their differential diagnosis.

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Screening for Coxiella burnetii infection during pregnancy: pros and cons according to the Wilson and Jungner criteria

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/ese.17.03.20061-en ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

Author(s):

J M Munster ◽

L M Steggerda ◽

A C Leenders ◽

J G Aarnoudse ◽

E Hak

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Q Fever ◽

Risk Group ◽

High Risk Group ◽

Routine Screening ◽

Maternal Complications ◽

Clinical Consequences ◽

Pros And Cons

In Europe the incidence of human Q fever has dramatically increased over the previous years. Untreated infections with Coxiella burnetii, the causal agent of Q fever, have been associated with both obstetric and maternal complications. The majority of pregnant women with a C. burnetii infection remain asymptomatic, hence screening could be of value to prevent unwanted outcomes in this high-risk group. We applied the updated Wilson and Jungner criteria to review the evidence for routine screening for C. burnetii infection during pregnancy. Since much uncertainty remains about the incidence, clinical consequences, diagnostics and treatment of C. burnetii infection during pregnancy, routine screening for C. burnetii infection during pregnancy should not be recommended. Rigorous studies to assess the effectiveness of C. burnetii screening are warranted.

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Epidemiological and Aetiological Evidence for Transmission of Lyme Disease by Adult Ixodes persulcatus in an Endemic Area in China

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/19.4.1061 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 1061-1065 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

CHENGXU AI ◽

RENJIE HU ◽

KERWIN E. HYLAND ◽

YUXIN WEN ◽

YONGGUO ZHANG ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lyme Disease ◽

Endemic Area ◽

Ixodes Persulcatus

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Gonococcal Ophthalmia Neonatorum and Routine Screening of Pregnant Women for Gonorrheal Infection

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.52.2.302 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 302-303

Author(s):

Hania W. Ris

Keyword(s):

Prenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Silver Nitrate ◽

Prophylactic Treatment ◽

Routine Screening ◽

Significant Frequency ◽

Ophthalmia Neonatorum

Drs. Snowe and Wilfert's1 timely paper on epidemic reappearance of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum calls attention to a very serious problem. Recently in Wisconsin a case of gonococcal ophthalmia was reported2 in a 3-day-old infant who received silver nitrate prophylactic treatment. The prenatal care consisted of 14 visits to an obstetrician, which did not include screening for gonorrhea. The author's statement in the summary "gonorrhea occurs with significant frequency in obstetrical groups to merit attempts at therapy of the gravid mother" could be misinterpreted as advocating treatment without establishing a diagnosis.

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