Effect of Surveillance Method on Reported Characteristics of Lyme Disease, Connecticut, 1996–2007

摘要

To determine the effect of changing public health surveillance methods on the reported epidemiology of Lyme disease, we analyzed Connecticut data for 1996–2007. Data were stratifi ed by 4 surveillance methods and compared. A total of 87,174 reports were received that included 79,896 potential cases. Variations based on surveillance methods were seen. Cases reported through physician-based surveillance were signifi cantly more likely to be classifi ed as confi rmed; such case-patients were signifi cantly more likely to have symptoms of erythema migrans only and to have illness onset during summer months. Case-patients reported through laboratory-based surveillance were signifi cantly more likely to have late manifestations only and to be older. Use of multiple surveillance methods provided a more complete clinical and demographic description of cases but lacked effi ciency. When interpreting