AtlantaLyme
disease strikes about 300,000 people each year, according to new
information released by federal health officials. The new estimates
suggest the disease is 10 times more common than previously thought.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the new estimates, which were also released Sunday night at the 2013 International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases in Boston.
Usually,
only 20,000 to 30,000 illnesses are reported each year, making it the
most commonly-reported tick-borne illness in the country. For many
years, CDC officials have known that many doctors don't report every
case and that the true count was probably much higher.
The new
figure is the CDC's most comprehensive attempt at a better estimate. The
number comes from a survey of seven national laboratories, a national
patient survey and a review of insurance information.
"We know
that routine surveillance only gives us part of the picture, and that
the true number of illnesses is much greater," Dr. Paul Mead, chief of
epidemiology and surveillance for CDC's Lyme disease program, said in a press release.
"This new preliminary estimate confirms that Lyme disease is a
tremendous public health problem in the United States, and clearly
highlights the urgent need for prevention."
Mead added to the Associated Press, "It's giving us a fuller picture and it's not a pleasing one."
The
disease is named after Lyme, Conn., where the illness was first
identified in 1975. It's caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, which
is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected deer ticks, which
can be about the size of a poppy seed.
Symptoms include a fever,
headache and fatigue and sometimes a telltale rash that looks like a
bull's-eye centered on the tick bite. Most people recover with
antibiotics. If left untreated, the infection can cause arthritis and
more severe problems.
Ninety-six percent of U.S. Lyme disease
case reports have come from 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The new study did not find anything to suggest the disease is more geographically widespread, said Mead.
To
prevent against Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases like
babesiosis, rickettsiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the CDC
urges people to wear insect repellant, check themselves daily for ticks
and shower soon after being outdoors.
If you find a tick, use a
fine-tipped tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin's surface as
possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure as to not twist or jerk
the insect so parts don't break off and remain in the skin. After
removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite with rubbing alcohol, an
iodine scrub or soap and water. Stay clear of "folklore remedies," says
the CDC, including painting the tick with nail polish or Vaseline, or
using fire or heat to detach the tick from skin.
The agency
added that efforts are underway to identify new methods to kill these
ticks and prevent the disease in people. Community approaches like
tasking homeowners to try to kill ticks in their own yards, or local
efforts towards disrupting the disease's life-cycle between deer,
rodents (which can carry Lyme bacteria), ticks and humans could help
reduce risk.
"We know people can prevent tick bites through steps
like using repellents and tick checks. Although these measures are
effective, they aren't fail-proof and people don't always use them," Dr.
Lyle R. Petersen, director of CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases,
said in the press release. "We need to move to a broader approach to
tick reduction, involving entire communities, to combat this public
health problem."
The CDC has more information on Lyme disease.
end quote from:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57599168/cdc-lyme-disease-rates-10-times-higher-than-previously-reported/
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