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Hi-in process of moving to the US and have heard about Lymes disease.
The incidence seems to vary hugely from state to state.
How can you protect yourself from it ie spraying yard etc.
What should you look for as signs of TICS/and or symptoms -seems like they can be rather vague ie fatigue headaches etc.
Who (age group)is most susceptable?
Lyme is also pretty common in the EU, so it's not unique to the US.
Lyme disease (first described by Dr. Allen Steere in 1978 in Lyme, Connecticut) is a spirochaetal infection/inflammatory reaction transmitted by ticks. In the northeast, it's usually the deer tick, one of Ixodes species.
There's no age in which it's more prevalent. Most people don't spray, mostly because it's ineffective. The most important preventive measure that you can perform is a daily tick check of people and pets (pets get Lyme disease, too).
The longer the tick is in place, the higher the likelihood of transmission of the bacteria. If the initial target-like skin lesion is missed (and that does happen), patients can be diagnosed with ELISA and other immunologic tests, although the interpretation of these tests is still hotly debated.
It's NOT that big a deal. I've lived here my entire life and NOBODY in my family has ever contracted Lyme disease. And we're outside in the country all summer.
Hi-in process of moving to the US and have heard about Lymes disease.
The incidence seems to vary hugely from state to state.
How can you protect yourself from it ie spraying yard etc.
What should you look for as signs of TICS/and or symptoms -seems like they can be rather vague ie fatigue headaches etc.
Who (age group)is most susceptable?
Lyme is also pretty common in the EU, so it's not unique to the US.
Lyme disease (first described by Dr. Allen Steere in 1978 in Lyme, Connecticut) is a spirochaetal infection/inflammatory reaction transmitted by ticks. In the northeast, it's usually the deer tick, one of Ixodes species.
There's no age in which it's more prevalent. Most people don't spray, mostly because it's ineffective. The most important preventive measure that you can perform is a daily tick check of people and pets (pets get Lyme disease, too).
The longer the tick is in place, the higher the likelihood of transmission of the bacteria. If the initial target-like skin lesion is missed (and that does happen), patients can be diagnosed with ELISA and other immunologic tests, although the interpretation of these tests is still hotly debated.
It's NOT that big a deal. I've lived here my entire life and NOBODY in my family has ever contracted Lyme disease. And we're outside in the country all summer.
Thanks so much-sorry for the sp-I did wonder but someone who has the disease spelt it like that.
I was aware that pets could get it-didn't realise we had it in the UK, assume its rarer as never come across it, or heard anyone talk about it.
There are a few Lyme disease sites geared toward healthcare professionals that have photos of the various tick species and their appearances at various developmental stages. You just have to search for it.
Lyme disease is out there, but I wouldn't let it sway any decisions as to where to move, or let it change your lifestyle.
We live in Oregon, and my daughter got Lyme disease in 2006 when she was 8. She had the rash and tested positive. The only confusion is that the only time we remember her being bit by a tick was about 8 months before then, and it wasn't on that long. I know they say it needs to be attached for 2-3 days - I don't believe that. Anyways, she is okay now.
I would say if you end up in an area that ticks are common to make sure you check yourself or children very well after being out in the woods, and use something like Frontline (I think that's what it's called) on your pets to keep them off.
Just for informational purposes, in the year that my daughter had Lyme disease there were only 15 confirmed cases (including her) in the state of Oregon.
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