[Association of Lyme disease with work and leisure activities].
BACKGROUND
The conditions for Lyme disease are ideal in northern Spain, but the risk factors are not well established.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of those patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of Lyme disease in a region of northern Spain (Vizcaya).


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of the patients hospitalized with Lyme disease in Vizcaya between 1989 and 1996.


RESULTS
Twenty-six cases met the clinical and serologic CDC criteria, 21 males and 5 females, with a mean age of 52 years. Neurologic manifestations were most common (73%), followed by erythema migrans (62%), arthralgias (38%) and arthritis (15%). Fifty-eight percent of the patients recalled a tick bite and rural professional or recreational activities were the main risk factors. Most of the patients did not seek medical help until late in the disease, which led to greater morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing number of Lyme disease cases in northern Spain represents a public health problem. Disease morbidity could be reduced by targeted education to populations at risk.
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital de Galdácano, Vizcaya.
F
F
Arteaga
J C
JC
García-Moncó
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D015787:Erythema Chronicum Migrans / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
Asociación de la enfermedad de Lyme con actividades laborales y de recreo.