PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Meagan F. Vaughn AU - Philip D. Sloane AU - Kyle Knierim AU - Dax Varkey AU - Mark A. Pilgard AU - Barbara J. B. Johnson TI - Practice-Based Research Network Partnership with CDC to Acquire Clinical Specimens to Study the Etiology of Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI) AID - 10.3122/jabfm.2010.06.100098 DP - 2010 Nov 01 TA - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine PG - 720--727 VI - 23 IP - 6 4099 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/23/6/720.short 4100 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/23/6/720.full SO - J Am Board Fam Med2010 Nov 01; 23 AB - Introduction: Erythema migrans (EM) is an annular, erythematous, expanding rash that is characteristic of early Lyme disease. In the southern United States, however, many cases of EM seem to have an etiology different from that of Lyme disease. This little-understood condition is called Southern tick-associated rash illness.Methods: With the goal of obtaining biological specimens and clinical histories from 12 to 20 STARI patients for use in etiologic research, microbiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contacted the North Carolina Network Consortium, a statewide consortium of practice-based research networks. This article describes the methods by which the North Carolina Network Consortium successfully identified and enrolled Southern tick-associated rash illness patients into a primary care-based research protocol.Results: A total of 23 patients were enrolled, with 100% attainment of the desired specimens. After an initial lack of success, the revised protocol identified and trained physicians practicing in endemic areas for the illness, used a coordinator with 24-hour availability, recruited participants using newspaper notices and medical providers, and provided regular reminders and progress updates.Conclusions: A practice-based research network can help basic scientists identify patients and collect specimens for clinically relevant research.