For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 1, 2017
Summer is in full swing and County health officials urge residents to learn about Lyme disease and how to protect themselves when they are outdoors.
“As residents begin to spend more time outdoors - whether at parks and trails, sports events, or enjoying their own backyard - we want to be sure they protect themselves from tick bites and tickborne diseases, including Lyme disease,” said Senior Administrator for Communicable Disease & Epidemiology Cindy Edwards. “Lyme disease has become a serious public health issue in many parts of the United States, and it is important for residents to educate themselves and their children so they can prevent Lyme disease and seek treatment quickly if they become infected.”
Lyme disease is an illness caused by the Borrellia Burgdorferi bacteria and is spread by the bite of a tick infected with the bacteria. Lyme disease was first recognized in Lyme, Connecticut in 1975 and is most prevalent in the northeast and upper Midwest areas of the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 27,203 cases of Lyme disease in 2013. Maryland reported 1,727 cases in 2015 and Montgomery County had 280 reported cases of Lyme disease that same year.
Symptoms of Lyme disease may include headache, fever, muscle- and joint-aches, fatigue and a rash often characterized by a distinctive “bull’s-eye” appearance. If left untreated, Lyme disease can progress to more serious problems, including joint- and muscle-swelling and heart disease.
The best defense against Lyme disease is to protect against tick bites. Ticks do not jump or fly onto humans, but wait on low vegetation and attach themselves to hosts (mice, deer, humans) as they walk by. The following steps will help protect against Lyme disease:
For more information about Lyme disease, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/lymedisease.
# # #
Release ID: 17-439