Lyme disease, a pesky tick-born illness that used to be a matter of worry only for people residing in the New England states and Pennsylvania, has been found by recent reports to have now spread to all 50 states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through black-legged ticks and deer ticks. The disease often presents itself as the flu, with typical symptoms including a fever, fatigue, headaches, and a skin rash that develops at the site of the tick bite anywhere from 3 days to 30 days after being bitten. According to the CDC, if caught early, most people recover quickly after a few weeks of antibiotics. However, if left untreated it can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system, causing lasting medical problems.
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According to Dr. Harvey Kaufman, the senior medical director for Quest Diagnostics, the instances of Lyme disease in the U.S. have been rising and occurring in geographical locations that have not previously been associated with the disease. Kaufman told US News that, “We hypothesize that these significant rates of increase may reinforce other research suggesting changing climate conditions that allow ticks to live longer and in more regions may factor into disease risk.”
According to Lisa Bowen, the manager of QuickHealth Clinic, people bitten by a tick should get a blood test for Lyme disease immediately. Experts say people should be cautious and active in protecting themselves against tick bites at least through the end of September. Prevention tactics include wearing long clothing, using insect repellent and applying pesticides, removing ticks hastily if found, and decreasing the size of the tick habitat.
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