Lyme Disease

Tick monitoring and control is lacking in much of the United States despite a steady increase in tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, a new study finds.In the United States, tick-borne illnesses more than doubled between 2004 and 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement For the new study, the researchers surveyed tick management programs across the country. They found that less than half of public health and vector-control agencies do active tick surveillance, and only 12 percent directly conduct or otherwise support tick-control efforts. Vector-control agencies monitor pests like ticks and mosquitoes that can transmit, or "vector," diseases (like Lyme) to humans. The study was conducted by researchers at the CDC's five Vector-Borne ...

If you suspect you have been bitten by a tick, monitor the area for a red, bull’s-eye rash. In addition to fever, chills and headaches, other early symptoms of Lyme disease can include fatigue, muscle and joint pain and swollen lymph nodes, according to the Department of Health.

HARRISBURG — Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine reminded Pennsylvanians to take proper steps to prevent against tick bites and recognize the symptoms of Lyme disease, as some symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of COVID-19. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, among other dangerous diseases, that can be severe if not treated properly. “Over the past several months, we have seen an increase in the number of emergency department visits related to tick bites,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Some symptoms of Lyme disease, such as fever, chills and headache, are similar to symptoms of COVID-19. It is essential that all residents know the proper ways to protect themselves against ticks and are aware of the dangerous diseases they can carry. We want all Pennsylvanians to...

By Jennifer Kraus, MDVirtua Health Infectious Disease SpecialistThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of our behaviors. With theaters and many stores closed and restaurants restricted to pick-up or delivery, many of us find ourselves spending a lot more time outside. Will that result in an increase in the number of cases of Lyme Disease, which is transmitted by deer ticks? That's difficult to say for sure, but New Jersey has typically been among the states reporting the most tick-borne illnesses. We often encounter deer ticks after spending time in heavily wooded areas, but even if you don't spend much time outdoors, you still need to be alert. If you have pets, you should know that a cat or dog can easily bring a tick into your house. One way to protect yourself from ticks is sprayin...

Wellsboro -- The Tioga County Lyme Disease Support Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, at Native Bagel. During this free public meeting, Linda Wales of Millerton will discuss her personal experiences with Lyme disease followed by a question and answer session. This will be the first meeting held by support group members since February 20, when they met jointly with SSMH Breathers Club members at the hospital to hear a presentation on Lyme Disease by Dr. Christopher Domarew of the UPMC Office of Internal Medicine at Wellsboro. Wales was originally scheduled to talk to the group on Thursday, March 19. That meeting was canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent stay-at-home and social distancing guidelines. Wales suffered with tick-borne illnesses for seven ye...

There are common symptoms and unique symptoms and it's important to get the diagnosis right. With more people outside enjoying nature and possibly exposing themselves to ticks, health experts are warning of possible overlap between the symptoms of COVID-19 and Lyme Disease. THE QUESTION Can you get diagnosed with COVID-19 instead of Lyme disease and vice versa? THE ANSWER Yes, you could, as both have similar symptoms. Evidence and experts suggest patients should get tested for other conditions when presenting any of the symptoms. The experts that the VERIFY team contacted said getting the correct diagnosis in a timely manner is important as Lyme Disease can have serious effects if it's not caught early on. WHAT WE FOUND A spokesperson with the Centers for Disease Control and ...

From a dry cough to a loss of taste, coronavirus is known to be associated with a range of unpleasant symptoms. But experts have warned that many of these symptoms are similar to Lyme disease - an infection caught from the bite of an infected tick. Writing for The Conversation, Jory Brinkerhoff, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Richmond explained: “Lyme disease shares a number of symptoms with COVID-19, including fever, achiness and chills. “Anyone who mistakes Lyme disease for COVID-19 could unknowingly delay necessary medical treatment, and that can lead to severe, potentially debilitating symptoms.” Lyme disease is commonly associated with a ‘bull’s-eye rash’, although many people also experience fever, fatigue and body aches. Dr Brinkerhoff said: “Symptoms of Lyme d...

What a relief to be outside after being isolated by the coronavirus. But beware! Warmer weather means that ticks are in the woods around you. Or even in your own back yard. A report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows a tick bite can trigger diverse and deadly consequences. One case involved a 37-year-old man complaining of flu symptoms, fever, sore throat and joint pain. He had been in a tick-infested area several weeks earlier but did not recall a tick bite. His doctor diagnosed a viral infection and the patient improved. Weeks later heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest pains sent him to the emergency room. There was no evidence of the typical tick rash. But an ECG showed complete heart block. The diagnosis? Lyme carditis. Treatment of the disease was started...

Lyme disease has become an insidious epidemic in the United States. Caused by bacteria transmitted by an infected tick bite, symptoms can include arthritis, cardiac and neurological problems if left untreated. It is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 300,000 people likely contract the disease each year. Scientists, doctors and ecologists have worked for decades to slow the spread of Lyme and the blacklegged, or deer, ticks that carry the disease-causing bacteria. However, the ticks' range continues to expand. Today, over 50 percent of the American population lives in an area where these ticks are found. The US Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine against Lyme in 1998, but it was met b...

Summer is field season for ecologists like me, a time when my colleagues, students, and I go out into fields and woods in search of ticks to study the patterns and processes that allow disease-causing microbes – primarily bacteria and viruses – to spread among wildlife and humans. That fieldwork means we’re also at risk of getting the very diseases we study. I always remind my crew members to pay close attention to their health. If they get a fever or any other signs of sickness, they should seek medical treatment immediately and tell their doctor that they may have been exposed to ticks. When summer flu-like illnesses develop in anyone who spends time outdoors in areas where ticks are common, tick-transmitted diseases like Lyme disease should be considered a likely culprit. This summer, ...