Table 1. Control measures used by 18 European countries during an LGV outbreak*.
Category | All countries (n = 18) | Countries with cases (n = 11) |
---|---|---|
Initial alert and response | ||
Alert and response issued | 11 | 9 |
Enhanced surveillance | 8 | 7 |
Voluntary reporting | 9 | 7 |
Provisional guidelines | 9 | 7 |
Information dissemination | 11 | 9 |
Educational activities |
6 |
6 |
Development of control measures | ||
Outbreak management team (advisory team) | 5 | 5 |
Initial risk assessment performed | 8 | 7 |
Methods to collect evidence | ||
Hand search literature | 11 | 9 |
Search electronic databases | 10 | 7 |
Search patient entry data | 7 | 6 |
Search unpublished data | 4 | 4 |
Methods to analyze evidence | ||
Decision analysis | 5 | 3 |
Meta-analysis | 0 | 0 |
Nonsystematic review | 5 | 4 |
Systematic review | 4 | 4 |
Experience based | 8 | 7 |
Methods to formulate measures | ||
Subjective review | 8 | 6 |
Informal expert consensus | 10 | 8 |
Formal expert consensus | 4 | 4 |
Evidence based | 0 | 0 |
Procedure for updating key recommendations | 11 | 4 |
National LGV guideline | 4 | 3 |
Formal authorization process of the guideline |
2 |
2 |
Content of control measures | ||
Active case finding | 9 | 7 |
Contact tracing | 7 | 6 |
Partner notification | 5 | 4 |
Screening risk group | 5 | 3 |
Activities targeting risk groups | 10 | 8 |
Alerting general public | 1 | 1 |
Alerting general practitioners | 8 | 5 |
Alerting STI clinics | 11 | 9 |
Alerting public health physicians | 9 | 9 |
Alerting microbiologists | 9 | 6 |
Alerting hospitals | 5 | 3 |
Alerting GUM and gastroenterologists | 8 | 6 |
Alerting HIV specialists | 3 | 3 |
LGV notifiable† | 5 | 4 |
National case-register for LGV† | 9 | 7 |
*Data gathered through a survey. LGV, lymphogranuloma venereum; STI, sexually transmitted infection; GUM, genitourinary specialists. †Data were missing for 3 countries for this category.