Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Watch Out For Ticks

Several papers had stories on the rise in Lyme disease in the area. The illness can appear as a circular rash and bring flu-like symptoms. No one seems to know why the sudden jump in cases.

Here's the Sun's account:

Reported cases of Lyme disease in Maryland doubled last year and more than tripled in Howard County, leading the county health officer to join state officials yesterday in warning citizens and recommending prevention measures.

"We're seeing a dramatic increase in Lyme disease in the area," said Dr. Peter Beilenson, adding that experts believe many cases go unreported.

Statewide, the number of reported cases jumped from 1,248 in 2006 to 2,576 last year. In Howard County, the number increased from 113 to 358 during the same period
.

Here's link to a state Web site focusing on the problem.

1 comment:

maryclove said...

I wrote about this too on my Dog Talk blog, and believe the topic deserves as much attention as it can get. I had Lyme disease and can vouch that it's no fun.

Anyone who gets flu-like symptoms when it's not flu season should check with a doctor and consider Lyme disease. The characteristic rash does not always occur, as in my case. While the early symptoms might seem like no big deal, the complications can be debilitating.

It might be my imagination (or heightened vigilance), but it seems like I'm seeing a lot more ticks this year than usual.

Thanks for raising awareness!