The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Lyme disease is the leading vector-borne disease in the United States-half of those getting LD are children.
Lyme Disease (LD) is an infection caused by a spirochete (spiral-shaped bacterium) that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected tick or mosquito. About 220,000 Americans develop LD each year, making it the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the United States. But according to the CDC, only 10% of LD cases are even reported.�
LD is called ``The Great Imitator'' because its symptoms mimic many other diseases; however, when LD is diagnosed and treated properly and promptly, most people recover quickly. On the other hand, many doctors are unfamiliar with its symptoms. Untreated, or inadequately treated, LD can cause serious life-long health problems, which can lead to permanent disability. �
People with persistent LD often experience unrelenting, debilitating fatigue, cognitive problems, neurological damage, arthritis, heart damage, vision or hearing deficits, or psychiatric problems.
The most obvious LD symptoms are: * fever, * flat or slightly raised red lesion at the site of the tick bite (occurs in less than 40% of cases) important to take a picture with ruler and date, * flu-like symptoms in summer, * headache, * joint inflammation in the knees or other large joints, * lethargy, * muscle pains, * stiff neck, and * depression.
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease include itching, psychiatric symptoms, and a host of other possible symptoms.
Prevention is Key
* Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are more visible, tuck the bottoms of long pants into your socks if you walk in tall grass or brush, and wear closed shoes. * Use a permethrin spray on clothing, which repels ticks. Products are available that repel ticks from clothing for up to two weeks, including washing. * Check for ticks on thighs, groin, underarms, backs of knees, behind the ears, and on the neck at the hairline--check children and pets. * Avoid exposure to ticks when possible and, if you are bitten, promptly remove the tick. * Remove a tick by grasping with tweezers at the tick head as close to skin as possible. Gently and slowly pull the tick up and away from skin. Disinfect the site with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide. Wash hands afterwards. * Retain the tick and if symptoms occur (which may appear days, weeks, or months after tick attachment) send the tick to a reputable lab for testing and seek additional advice.
Posted by snowflake (Member # 8950) on :
Copy & Paste & SAVE!!!! Hooray!
Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :
YOU ARE THE WOMAN!!!!!
YEA!!!!
Good, good, GOOD JOB!!! and THNAK YOU!!!!
Linda Posted by Ann-OH (Member # 2020) on :
I posted something on your original post that you should change. See my comments on this * Use a permethrin spray on clothing, which repels ticks. Products are available that repel ticks from clothing for up to two weeks, including washing.
I also found a more recent Lyme disease CDC website address. What you have there is info from 2000.
Ann- OH
Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :
Ann,
What is the better web site?
Will you look over my final? I gotta find your email address...
Suggested citation for this article: Zhang X, Meltzer MI, Pe�a CA, Hopkins AB, Wroth L, Fix AD. Economic impact of Lyme disease. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2006 Apr [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no04/05-0602.htm
Here is the paragraph..
"Since the first case reported in 1975 (12), LD has become the most common vectorborne inflammatory disease in the United States. Foci of LD are widely spread in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central regions of the United States (13). Despite federal, state, and local efforts to prevent and control LD, total reported cases of LD increased almost 3-fold from 1991 to 2002 (Figure 1). In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received reports of 23,763 LD cases, 95% of which were from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin (14). In Maryland, the overall incidence of LD was more than twice as high as the overall incidence of LD in the United States (13.0 vs. 6.3 cases per 100,000 population) (13). "
I also like this quote from the same source, "LD is most responsive to antimicrobial drugs in the early stage, while further intensive therapy may be necessary in the late stage (7,8)."
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