Headlines - Incidence of erythema migrans in five French regions

Between 2001 and 2012, the InVS conducted surveillance of Lyme disease (LD) based on networks of volunteer physicians in five regions, including, most recently, Franche-Comté. Participating physicians reported all cases of erythema migrans (EM) over two consecutive years. To enable data comparison, age-standardized EM incidence rates were estimated by canton and by region.The age-standardized incidence rates of EM per 100,000 person-years obtained were: 88 (95% CI = [85–91]) in Alsace, 76 (95% CI = [73–79]) in Rhône-Alpes, 46 (95% CI = [43–49]) in Franche-Comté, 40 (95% CI = [36–44]) in Limousin, and 9 (95% CI = [8–10]) in Aquitaine. The regions most affected by BL are not contiguous in the east: Alsace and Rhône-Alpes stand out for their high incidence of EM, while the incidence of EM in Franche-Comté is closer to that estimated for Limousin; Aquitaine is not among the most affected regions in France. [...]