Lyme Disease OutbreakLyme Disease Outbreak

By Patricia KelleyBy Patricia Kelley

◊ Where? Old Lyme, Connecticut◊ Where? Old Lyme, Connecticut

How?How?

◊ * In a one year period, fifty-one people were experiencing uncommon juvenile rheumatoid arthritus symptoms which include; swollen or stiff joints, rashes and high fever.

◊ * By 1977, scientists linked to the Icodes scapularis (black-legged or deer) tick as the transmitter of the disease and by 1982, the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, was discovered as the culprit.

◊ * In a one year period, fifty-one people were experiencing uncommon juvenile rheumatoid arthritus symptoms which include; swollen or stiff joints, rashes and high fever.

◊ * By 1977, scientists linked to the Icodes scapularis (black-legged or deer) tick as the transmitter of the disease and by 1982, the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, was discovered as the culprit.

How?How?

◊ Causes◊ * Environmental changes in the

Connecticut area are blamed for the advanced spread of Lyme Disease.

◊ o As Connecticut more industrialized, old agricultural farms were turned into new forests and a new habitat for deer.

◊ + Also, as the population in Connecticut increased, so did the human to deer contact.

◊ *Ticks can also move from pets to people*

◊ Causes◊ * Environmental changes in the

Connecticut area are blamed for the advanced spread of Lyme Disease.

◊ o As Connecticut more industrialized, old agricultural farms were turned into new forests and a new habitat for deer.

◊ + Also, as the population in Connecticut increased, so did the human to deer contact.

◊ *Ticks can also move from pets to people*

Treatments?Treatments?

◊ * Federal funding for Lyme disease research began in 1991, and by 1997 a vaccine became available. Though by 2001, the vaccine was taken off the market

◊ * Symptoms can be eliminated with antibiotics, but only if the disease is caught early.

◊ * Federal funding for Lyme disease research began in 1991, and by 1997 a vaccine became available. Though by 2001, the vaccine was taken off the market

◊ * Symptoms can be eliminated with antibiotics, but only if the disease is caught early.

Untreated Lyme Disease…Untreated Lyme Disease…

◊ o If the disease is left untreated, it results in a multitude of problems such as neurological disorders (twitching) and neuropsychiatric disturbances (memory loss, mood sings, sleeping problems)

◊ * The late-stage Lyme disease is often called the "great imitator" because it is has so many multi-faceted symptoms that it is commonly misdiagnosed as Multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, rhematoid arthritus and other autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.

◊ o If the disease is left untreated, it results in a multitude of problems such as neurological disorders (twitching) and neuropsychiatric disturbances (memory loss, mood sings, sleeping problems)

◊ * The late-stage Lyme disease is often called the "great imitator" because it is has so many multi-faceted symptoms that it is commonly misdiagnosed as Multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, rhematoid arthritus and other autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.