MedPath

Understanding Tick-borne Diseases

Conditions
Lyme Disease
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: Blood samples
Diagnostic Test: skin biopsy
Registration Number
NCT03501407
Lead Sponsor
Institut Pasteur
Brief Summary

Ticks are the major arthropod vectors transmitting pathogenic agents to humans and domestic animals in Europe, and currently, the incidence of tick-borne disease is rising. The most common European human tick-borne disease is Lyme borreliosis, with an estimated 90 000 new cases every year (compared to 300 000 new cases in the United States annually). This disease is initially clinically diagnosed by the presence of migrating erythema following a tick bite, which is then subsequently confirmed by serological tests. In parallel with classic Lyme borreliosis cases, tick-bitten patients can also present with polymorphic and on-specific clinical symptoms (asthenia, fever, myalgia, etc. ...) for which there is no known etiological diagnosis. It is extremely difficult to determine the proportion of tick-bitten patients with these symptoms compared to patients which have actually contracted Lyme disease, although it is estimated that 50% of fevers following a tick bite have an unknown infectious origin.

Typical tick habitats are woodlands, prairies, pastures, and gardens. Ticks are extremely sensitive to environmental fluctuations, which are often brought about by human socio-economic changes, thus tick-borne diseases are excellent candidates for emergence. Consequently, it is incontestable that tickborne diseases pose a significant threat to our society. In addition to improving diagnostic techniques, one of the major hurdles relates to improving public and health professional knowledge about tick disease risk. The battle against tick-borne diseases is based on relatively simple prevention measures, and their effectiveness is immeasurably improved when citizens are more informed and involved.Therefore, a multidisciplinary project, bringing together veterinarians, doctors, scientists, and consultant sociologists has been designed to create a global "One Health" approach to tick-borne diseases. Specific scientific project objectives are to (1) detect, identify, and isolate new microorganisms-both unknown or unexpected-from patients or animals suffering from unexplainable symptoms following tick bites; (2) to demonstrate tick competence in their ability to transmit these agents; and (3) to generate concrete recommendations to improve tick-borne disease management.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
130
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Erythema migransBlood samplesPatients for whom a diagnosis of acute phase of Lyme disease is done on the basis of the existence of an erythema migrans and a tick bite history in the days preceding the occurrence of erythema (before and after antibiotics treatment) will be recruited
Erythema migransskin biopsyPatients for whom a diagnosis of acute phase of Lyme disease is done on the basis of the existence of an erythema migrans and a tick bite history in the days preceding the occurrence of erythema (before and after antibiotics treatment) will be recruited
No-erythema migransBlood samplesPatients with unspecific symptoms (the most common symptoms being: headache, arthralgia, myalgia, febrile episode) appearing within 3 months after a tick bite will be recruited
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Isolate new microorganisms-both unknown or unexpected-from patients suffering from unexplainable symptoms following tick bitesup to 12 months
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire

🇫🇷

Besançon, France

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