UNIDENTIFIED DERMATOSIS SYNDROME

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NEW SURVEILLANCE DATABASE

“UNIDENTIFIED DERMATOSIS SYNDROMEâ€

 

Abstract: There have been reports to state and local public health

agencies from residents throughout Georgia of thread-like skin

parasites in their skin, and a related set of symptoms.

 

In response, the Unidentified Dermatosis Syndrome (UDS) Surveillance

Database was developed and is maintained by the Chemical Hazards

Program, Environmental Health Section,

Georgia Division of Public Health. It is intended to build and

maintain self-reported symptom surveillance capacity.

 

Definition

The Chemical Hazards Program defines “Unidentified Dermatosis

Syndrome†as reports of tiny bugs that look like black specks, or

thread-like parasites in the skin; or of " something " biting,

stinging, or crawling in the skin, and an accompanying set of

symptoms including itching, visible sores, and fatigue.

 

Hypothesis

The Chemical Hazards Program will examine whether:

1. parasites may be causing the symptoms, and

2. individuals may share hypersensitivity to toxins produced by

certain fungi/molds present in soil causing specific neurotoxic

effects.

 

 

CURRENT ACTIVITIES: PHASE I

Surveillance Database and Initial Survey

Beginning March 1, 2006 we will administer a survey to collect data

from individuals reporting specific symptoms of UDS. Chemical

Hazards Program staff is contacting Georgia residents

following referral from various state, district, and local public

health agencies, health care providers, other professionals, and

individuals for voluntary participation in the survey.

 

 

Beginning September 1, 2006 Chemical Hazards Program staff will

analyze the results of the survey and decide which health education activities,

networking strategies, referral resources,

environmental sampling, or medical interventions will best meet the

needs of the survey participants. Reports generated will contain grouped

information only, and will not contain any personal identifiers such as name or

address.

 

The results of the data analyses are expected to be available to the

public in late fall 2006. The UDS surveillance database will remain in place and

continue to gather information about cases in Georgia.

 

Survey

The UDS survey requests basic demographic information: age, gender,

race/ethnicity and education level. Questions about their home environment and

daily activities, including length of

residency, soil conditions, outdoor hobbies, employment history, and

allergy history are included. Respondents will be asked in detail about their

symptoms, doctor visits, current medications, health status of other family

members and pets, and attempted

and/or successful treatments and symptom relief.

 

Page 2

Data Management and Entry

CHP staff will collect, manage, enter, and analyze all data from

completed surveys. Survey data will be entered into an Access database and cross

checked for validity, reliability, and accuracy

by random verification of entered data and other accepted methods.

 

Data Analyses

Access 2000 database software will be used for data analyses. Survey

questions will be analyzed and compared using analytic techniques appropriate

for community survey design. Univariate analyses will generate descriptive

statistics to characterize data

from the survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses will assess whether trends

and relationships exist among survey responses.

ArcView 9.0 software will be used to map/illustrate any trends and

relationships.

If trends and relationships are found to exist and are determined to

potentially be a result of parasites and/or exposure to specific fungi present

in soil, medical intervention and/or soil

sampling recommendations will provided to appropriate agencies. For

more information, to refer individuals, or to be considered for participation in

the survey,

 

please contact:

 

Jane M. Perry, Director

Chemical Hazards Program

Georgia Division of Public Health

Atlanta, Georgia

(404) 657-6534

 

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