ÔMAY: LYME DISEASE AWARENESS MONTHÕ
This month of May might have been
usually cool and kept us less active with outdoor activities, but there is one
particular creepy crawly that thinks the weather is just fine. Hungry for a
meal those nasty little bloodsucking arachnids- the size of a poppy seed are
back, carrying with them the threat of Lyme disease, an illness characterized
by high fever, headaches, fatigue and skin rash.
DonÕt be fooled into believing that
the tick that causes this disease is a resident only of Wisconsin and other
states with a more rugged wilderness like terrain. The CDC acknowledges that
new cases of Lyme disease are reported yearly from every state in the union.
Western Illinois residents should educate themselves about this debilitating
disease, its symptoms and ways to avoid being bitten by ticks, the carriers of
the bacterium Borrelia
burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease.
ÒThe good news- a few preventative
measures can drastically reduce your chances of contracting Lyme disease,Ó said
Dr. Jonathan Lindo, MD. ÒThere is no need to avoid being outside this spring if
youÕre willing to be proactive in avoiding tick bites.Ó
The Blacklegged ticks, or deer
ticks are the main carriers of Lyme disease and are especially active in May, June
and July. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website,
cdc.gov, offers a few simple suggestions on how to avoid being bitten.
Now that it looks as though the
weather has finally broken, and you find yourself in the out of doors, regular
tick checks are extremely important. If you are bitten, SAVE THE TICK as it can
be tested for signs of the Lyme bacterium. Also, the CDC recommends monitoring
your health closely and contacting your physician for possible prophylactic
care. Till next time, Rebecca