I testified today at the Board of Supes in San Francisco and asked the city to assist in getting the word out. We have a couple local tickbite infection reports. I will probably be meeting with a supervisor's office next.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
for entire month of JUNE, i'll have a display at local public library and plan on having things, LDA brochures, so viewers can take 1 per family with them.
may was taken... Posted by shazdancer (Member # 1436) on :
May 1 -- began the Walk Against Lyme Disease, with 7 teams formed
May 1 -- distributed brochures to a public library and the Maine State Library
May 1/2 -- May is officially declared Lyme Disease Awareness Month in the State of Maine
May 1 -- Tick Talk at the Camden Library
May 10 -- Tick Talk at the Auburn Library
May 31 -- the Walk ends, pledges and donations sent, and losing team makes an extra donation to a Lyme cause
Posted by imanurse (Member # 7022) on :
In Iowa, Governor Culver signed a proclamation that declares May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
There are other activities planned... i will post those at a later date.
~~~~~~~~~ Michigan article
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Published Wednesday, May 2, 2007 2:44:09 PM Central Time
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Michigan. Before venturing out this summer make sure you take some precautions against Lyme disease. Lyme Disease and other diseases can be transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. Ways you can protect your family this summer are:
--Wear light-colored clothing. This allows you to spot ticks more easily.
--Wear a hat and long-sleeved shirt. Tuck your clothes in, shirts into pants and pants into socks.
--Use an insect repellant with DEET on exposed skin.
--When hiking, stay in the middle of the trails, and try to avoid underbrush, fallen trees, and tall grass.
--Always perform a tick check when returning in from outdoors or when outdoors for extended periods of time.
--If you do find a tick, use a pair of fine-pointed tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull gently and slowly but firmly until tick releases, this may take several tries. Avoid crushing or killing the tick while it is still attached to the skin. Once the tick is removed clean the area with an antiseptic, such as alcohol.
Lyme Disease may cause symptoms such as a rash which only appears in about 68 percent of cases and not necessarily at the bite site. Other symptoms that may appear are flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, fatigue or weakness. Symptoms can appear days to weeks after a tick bite. If gone untreated Lyme Disease can lead to severe heart, neurological, eye and joint problems because the bacteria can affect many different organs and organ systems.
For a packet of information on Lyme Disease contact the Michigan Lyme Disease Association at (888) 784-5963 or visit the Web site at mlda.org.
Posted by imanurse (Member # 7022) on :
Connecticut
Tick, tock! Time for Lyme disease prevention 05/02/2007
By KEVIN D. ROBERTS Register Citizen Staff
TORRINGTON - Local health and city officials are looking to spread the word about Lyme disease. Mayor Ryan Bingham, joined Tuesday morning in front of City Hall by James Rokos, director of the Torrington Area Health District, Susan Perlotto, coordinator of the Lyme Disease Prevention Program, and about 100 city schoolchildren dressed in lime green, proclaimed May Lyme Disease Prevention Month in the city.
"We have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to Lyme disease prevention in the Northwest Corner," Rokos said.
The program has been run through a grant for eight years and the health district wants it to continue, but the grant will expire next March, Rokos said. The health district, Rokos said, has spent $1 million to raise awareness of the disease, which has led to an increase in the number of cases reported in the district.
Bingham advised the children to perform a tick check every time they come in from the outdoors. "It mimics other diseases and current tests available are not good enough," Bingham said during his proclamation.
Perlotto said after the ceremony that there are a lot of misconceptions about the disease, including the "telltale" bull's-eye rash that comes with a bite. In truth, only 12 percent of those who get a rash get one in the shape of a bulls-eye, Perlotto said. Rashes come in different shapes, but more important is that if the redness expands, the person is likely infected.
What about the belief that bites are itchy? They usually don't, Perlotto said.
As part of the program this year, a new support group called "Lyme Life" has been created. It is being organized and run by Perlotto and volunteer Maureen Nikora, who said she contracted the disease three years ago.
"I'm a survivor, so I know what it's like," Nikora said after the ceremony. "I just know how depressed and discouraged and disgusted you can be if you have (the disease)."
The group will be looking to create a Lyme disease awareness newsletter, called the Tick Tock Times, and will try to put as much of it as possible online, Nikora said.
Awareness of the disease has been raised, Nikora said, but there are no support groups in the area, that is, before "Lyme Life."
"People need an outlet," Nikora said. The group will meet on the second Wednesday of every month, starting on May 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the small dining room of the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington. The meeting will provide an opportunity for those who attend - whether they have the disease or know someone who does - to learn more about the disease and the TICK Education Association of Northwest Connecticut.
Awards were also given out to the children for posters they made for Lyme Disease Prevention Month. From St. Francis/St. Peter School, Juliana Provenzano won first place, Ella Frauenhofer took second and Michaela Wheeler third. For Southwest School, Victoria Sowislo won first place, while Paige Middleton and Jessica Mailloux took second and third place, respectively. For Vogel-Wetmore School, Vilayphone Phengkaen (Angel) won first place, while Cailisson Preato took second and Adina Novak took third. Maureen Matava, the only participant from the Sullivan Senior Center, was given honorable mention.
Posted by imanurse (Member # 7022) on :
May 3, 2007 The University of California, San Francisco, CA
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
By Komal Bawa Staff Writer
It seems as though nearly everything nowadays has an awareness month, but Lyme disease is a particularly important health concern that does not seem to be well acknowledged. May is designated Lyme Disease Awareness Month because spring is the time of year that ticks lay their eggs and nymphs become active.
However, this is not to say that ticks are not biting all year long. The ``Lymies'' or those infected with Lyme Disease, are very strong advocates in drawing attention to what they describe as ``a plague,'' with the hopes that even one less person may suffer from the debilitating disease.
To give a little background -- Lyme disease (LD) was first found in Lyme, CT about 1970, but the vector of disease was not established until 1975 when an outbreak of juvenile arthritis was followed by a rash among these residents.
It is thought to be carried by many common insects but its transmission has been predominantly linked to deer ticks. The infected ticks transmit the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi via their bite which then resides in various tissues in humans and animals.
Common symptoms associated are an expanding rash (Erythema Migrans) resembling a bull's-eye, flu-like symptoms, fibromyalgia, severe fatigue and various CNS symptoms i.e. brain fog. However, LD has symptoms that mimic about 320 other diseases, which is why it very often goes undiagnosed.
The alarming concern surrounding LD is not new; rather it has been a concern for quite some time. Testing methods such as ELISA produce false negatives 50 percent of the time and physicians who are unaware may misdiagnose or more commonly miss it altogether. To date the most efficient test is done by Palo Alto based IGeneX using western blots to see which antibodies a patient may be making. A breakthrough test newly introduced by Central Florida Research Lab is the antigen test to detect the bacterium.
The problem with this disease, like many others now, is that there is no cure. There is only symptomatic relief. On the West Coast the prevalence of LD is still relatively low, but it is spreading. To bring it into perspective an elderly woman was bit on Hippie Hill, the hillside that overlooks the children's playground in Golden Gate Park and is in such poor health that she is unable to walk. Another case was seen in Glen Park when a woman was trimming hedges in her backyard. These local reports show that this is no longer a disease that is just being spread throughout endemic areas, rather it is being reported just about everywhere. The low incidence of reported cases is multidimensional.
UC Berkeley entomologist, Robert Lane, made note that only about 18-30 percent of people actually see the tick that bites them. Very often the nymph spreads the disease and it is the size of a poppy seed, and thus not seen. Therefore, if the tick is unseen and the symptoms mimic other diseases, the diagnosis of LD is far down the list if the telltale symptoms are absent.
Essentially all that can be done in a disease like this is prevention. Most of the following recommendations are for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, etc. but can generally be applied. First off, be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk through tall grass; rather, stay on the trail. Often times the ticks are sitting at the edge of grass blades just waiting. Wear proper attire (boots, socks, hats, long sleeves, pants). Also, apply an insect repellent (with DEET or permethrin) on skin and especially at junction on clothing. If you are bitten, remove the tick with tweezers and make sure that the head is out. Then save the tick (it can be sent off to a lab and analyzed for LD). To be cautious, an antibiotic course may be done soon after the bite to decrease the risk of contracting the disease if the bacteria are present. It is also very important that if you have contracted LD to be seen by a ``Lyme literate physician'' as they will best be able to work through the disease with you.
Lastly, it is important to not only protect yourself, but your animals as well. Yes, your dogs and cats can also get LD via the same mode of transmission as we do. Keep up with giving your pets their Frontline and Advantix. There was a case that was recently reported about a dog contracting LD around 46th and Taraval. Unfortunately this disease has made its way out to our neck of the woods and all we can do is be aware and cautious.
The Governor of Michigan Signed a Prolamation making May 2007 Lyme Diease Awareness Month in MI. I received it in the mail today.
Linda
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
I've been asked to give a little intro/talk at the city council meeting when the mayor of Santa Clara introduces the proclamation...She is also calling for all the surrounding cities in Santa Clara County to make the same proclamation on a local level.
Posted by she7 (Member # 11244) on :
In St. louis we are getting Lyme education packets and tick removal kits out to local school districts, and I have placed flyers about lyme in several libraries in my area.
Next week we will meet in the state capitol to attend a ceremony recognizing tick awareness month.
Our support group is finally getting stronger and we are working out the details for our meetings.
So far, so good!!!
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Great projects! Great ideas!
Good for you!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Good work, everyone! We're doing it...
Imanurse, thx for posting the UCSF Synapse article! It's on the front page! That's one of the articles I arranged for.
There are three more newspaper articles out too in the city. All this is so important and I'm very pleased. Stay tuned... Posted by maritzap (Member # 11146) on :
We have secured a booth at the Scripps Ranch Farmers Market in San Diego. CALDA has generously sent brochures for us to hand out, and I have printed some local info as well. Saturday May 5 from 9am to 1pm we will be there. I will be organizing a San Diego Support Group soon also. The City Council will be presenting the proclamation for May as Lyme Disease Awareness MOnth soon. We are trying to get it presented this SAturday, but we do not have that confirmed yet. I may have the booth for the next Saturday as well May 12. Would love to meet any other lymies from San Diego. My 14 year old daughter was diagnosed March 07, but was bitten July 06 while camping on the Kern River. We only have a LLND right now-no antibiotics yet, just a Samento protocol which is causing herxes. Since we added homeopathic detox and infared sauna she is feeling better and herx is less severe. There are NO LLMDs in San Diego except one and she does not take new patients. Will be trying for LLMD who visits Malibu from N. CA. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice with this dreadful disease. As a healthy parent of a sick child, I am motivated to do whatever I can to get the word out. Thanks Maritza
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
lots of great things being planned and talked about!
i'm thinking about having a talk at local library but wanted to make sure i've recovered enough from my hip surgery to be able to have stamina to do this. i'll see plus if their auditorium is free or booked up entire month!
Posted by imanurse (Member # 7022) on :
Texas - May 2007 is Lyme Disease Awareness Month proclamation signed by Mayor of Austin, Texas
I will be glad to send you an e-mail with an attachment of a good pamphlet and a good bookmark on Tick-borne diseases that you can xerox for handing out. LDA (on your left) has great pamphlets, if you want the real professional stuff.
I posted all of this elsewhere, and apologize for the duplication. I have been busy caring for my spouse after some very severe surgery, so have been out of the loop a bit.
Now suitably loopy Ann - OH
Posted by sizzled (Member # 1357) on :
I have been dropping off booklets on Lyme Disease at every store (camping, hardware,pharmacies,health food stores,gardening,etc.) that sells tick repellent.
So far, am covering 3 states.
If I can prevent, at least, ONE person from getting ill it will be worth the effort!
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
sizzled, way to go girl! covering 3 states; huge project! thanks for updating us all.
i'm getting all my stuff in order and receiving some of the handouts i'd requested for my MONTH OF JUNE window display at our public library and handouts on a table.
i've gotten the ok to use a local manneqan,sp, to dress up for hiking/gardening, etc.
so i'm starting, but long ways to go since i have other priority work before then! Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Sizzled -- what 3 states are you doing? Good job! I think one metropolis area is enough for me!
Also wanted to add here that San Mateo County(just south of SF) board of supervisors declared Lyme Awareness month this week. Organized by Kathleen(see her post in Medical Questions) who will be continuing to do work with the county.
Posted by sizzled (Member # 1357) on :
Thanks BettyG and Robin123!!!
Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Wow! Good stuff!!!
Keep it up! We are making progress!!!
I just emailed LD Awareness Month press releases and (individually written for each one) cover letters to all Maryland and Florida newspapers.. and wrote letters and sent the press releases to TN, GA, NC, AL, and a few other states newspapers.
They have a Top 100 newspapers list.. but you need to go to each website and fill in forms and such.. so it takes a LONG while. But I'm with Siz...
If we can prevent ONE person from getting sick.. that is GREAT!
Also got an official Proclamation from the new Governor of Maryland and our support groups got them from 2 Maryland counties too!
Tonight I am contacting TV news stations and magazines again.
MAYBE I'll get "lucky"?
HA! I remember when getting "lucky" didn't mean someone would pay attention to you. Well.. not because of a news article that is!
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
quoting tincup
FYI- Going fishing soon and won't be doing emails.
wanted to make sure you all saw this; i barely did...last line of her post! so you'll know not to send her emails and WHY YOU AREN'T GETTING RESPONSES! Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Oh come on, Tincup -- with that new country song out, we could get lucky...
Your work is amazing -- thanks so much for your commitment to the cause...
Posted by tickfighterstl (Member # 11947) on :
The support groups in Missouri petitioned the Governor of Missouri to declare May as Tick-Borne disease awareness month.
We also launched our first Missouri based Lyme support web site.
And we hosted our first support meeting here in St. Louis. Read the proclamation here and check out our website also.
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