Health Desk: Looking Out for Lyme
Taking simple steps can help decrease the likelihood of being infected with Lyme Disease.
As the temperature climbs this July, so does the incidence of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected tick. It is one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the United States, with the number of cases increasing since the mid-1990’s, according to the CDC. In 2009, 95 percent of all Lyme disease cases were reported from 12 states, with New Jersey having one of the highest rates in the US. Now is the time to be aware of this disease, since July is the month in which most new cases are reported. Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The blacklegged, or deer, tick picks up the bacteria when they bite infected mice or deer. This disease …
Swift Loris
9:32 pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011
"The risk of infection increases with the amount of time the tick is attached, and if it’s attached for more than 24 hours, infection is unlikely." I think there's a typo here. It should say either "less than 24 hours" or "infection is likely." more ›