Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans

Introduction. Lyme disease is an emerging worldwide infectious disease with major foci of endemicity in North America and regions of temperate Eurasia. The erythema migrans rash associated with early infection is found in approximately 80% of patients and can have a range of appearances including th...

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Main Authors: John N. Aucott, Lauren A. Crowder, Victoria Yedlin, Kathleen B. Kortte
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Dermatology Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/451727
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author John N. Aucott
Lauren A. Crowder
Victoria Yedlin
Kathleen B. Kortte
author_facet John N. Aucott
Lauren A. Crowder
Victoria Yedlin
Kathleen B. Kortte
author_sort John N. Aucott
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Lyme disease is an emerging worldwide infectious disease with major foci of endemicity in North America and regions of temperate Eurasia. The erythema migrans rash associated with early infection is found in approximately 80% of patients and can have a range of appearances including the classic target bull’s-eye lesion and nontarget appearing lesions. Methods. A survey was designed to assess the ability of the general public to distinguish various appearances of erythema migrans from non-Lyme rashes. Participants were solicited from individuals who visited an educational website about Lyme disease. Results. Of 3,104 people who accessed a rash identification survey, 72.7% of participants correctly identified the classic target erythema migrans commonly associated with Lyme disease. A mean of 20.5% of participants was able to correctly identify the four nonclassic erythema migrans. 24.2% of participants incorrectly identified a tick bite reaction in the skin as erythema migrans. Conclusions. Participants were most familiar with the classic target erythema migrans of Lyme disease but were unlikely to correctly identify the nonclassic erythema migrans. These results identify an opportunity for educational intervention to improve early recognition of Lyme disease and to increase the patient’s appropriate use of medical services for early Lyme disease diagnosis.
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spelling doaj-art-e965356d691c4d5aa4d2ea3fc9055aba2025-08-20T03:21:09ZengWileyDermatology Research and Practice1687-61051687-61132012-01-01201210.1155/2012/451727451727Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema MigransJohn N. Aucott0Lauren A. Crowder1Victoria Yedlin2Kathleen B. Kortte3Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 10755 Falls Road, Suite 200, Lutherville, MD 21093, USADivision of Clinical Research, Lyme Disease Research Foundation, 10755 Falls Road, Suite 200, Lutherville, MD 21093, USADivision of Clinical Research, Lyme Disease Research Foundation, 10755 Falls Road, Suite 200, Lutherville, MD 21093, USADepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Phipps 174, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USAIntroduction. Lyme disease is an emerging worldwide infectious disease with major foci of endemicity in North America and regions of temperate Eurasia. The erythema migrans rash associated with early infection is found in approximately 80% of patients and can have a range of appearances including the classic target bull’s-eye lesion and nontarget appearing lesions. Methods. A survey was designed to assess the ability of the general public to distinguish various appearances of erythema migrans from non-Lyme rashes. Participants were solicited from individuals who visited an educational website about Lyme disease. Results. Of 3,104 people who accessed a rash identification survey, 72.7% of participants correctly identified the classic target erythema migrans commonly associated with Lyme disease. A mean of 20.5% of participants was able to correctly identify the four nonclassic erythema migrans. 24.2% of participants incorrectly identified a tick bite reaction in the skin as erythema migrans. Conclusions. Participants were most familiar with the classic target erythema migrans of Lyme disease but were unlikely to correctly identify the nonclassic erythema migrans. These results identify an opportunity for educational intervention to improve early recognition of Lyme disease and to increase the patient’s appropriate use of medical services for early Lyme disease diagnosis.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/451727
spellingShingle John N. Aucott
Lauren A. Crowder
Victoria Yedlin
Kathleen B. Kortte
Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans
Dermatology Research and Practice
title Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans
title_full Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans
title_fullStr Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans
title_full_unstemmed Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans
title_short Bull’s-Eye and Nontarget Skin Lesions of Lyme Disease: An Internet Survey of Identification of Erythema Migrans
title_sort bull s eye and nontarget skin lesions of lyme disease an internet survey of identification of erythema migrans
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/451727
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