I just thought I would put this information up today because I am getting so many questions about it lately. There are many people who would rather read this sort of information from reputable news sources then an unknown blogger, which is fine. So here's the biggest story of late about the CDC under reporting the Lyme epidemic. I will let you draw your own conclusions about this situation and keep following the story for my readers!
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From CBSNews.com, August 19, 2013, 1:09 PM
CDC: Lyme disease rates 10 times higher than previously reported
"Lyme disease strikes about 300,000 people each year, according to new information released by federal health officials. The new estimates suggest the disease is 10 times more common than previously thought.
Lyme disease: What you need to know about ticks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the new estimates, which were also released Sunday night at the 2013 International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases in Boston.
Usually, only 20,000 to 30,000 illnesses are reported each year, making it the most commonly-reported tick-borne illness in the country. For many years, CDC officials have known that many doctors don't report every case and that the true count was probably much higher.
The new figure is the CDC's most comprehensive attempt at a better estimate. The number comes from a survey of seven national laboratories, a national patient survey and a review of insurance information.
"We know that routine surveillance only gives us part of the picture, and that the true number of illnesses is much greater," Dr. Paul Mead, chief of epidemiology and surveillance for CDC's Lyme disease program, said in a press release. "This new preliminary estimate confirms that Lyme disease is a tremendous public health problem in the United States, and clearly highlights the urgent need for prevention."
Mead added to the Associated Press, "It's giving us a fuller picture and it's not a pleasing one."
The disease is named after Lyme, Conn., where the illness was first identified in 1975. It's caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected deer ticks, which can be about the size of a poppy seed.
Symptoms include a fever, headache and fatigue and sometimes a telltale rash that looks like a bull's-eye centered on the tick bite. Most people recover with antibiotics. If left untreated, the infection can cause arthritis and more severe problems.
Ninety-six percent of U.S. Lyme disease case reports have come from 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
The new study did not find anything to suggest the disease is more geographically widespread, said Mead.
To prevent against Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases like babesiosis, rickettsiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the CDC urges people to wear insect repellant, check themselves daily for ticks and shower soon after being outdoors.
If you find a tick, use a fine-tipped tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin's surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure as to not twist or jerk the insect so parts don't break off and remain in the skin. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub or soap and water. Stay clear of "folklore remedies," says the CDC, including painting the tick with nail polish or Vaseline, or using fire or heat to detach the tick from skin.
The agency added that efforts are underway to identify new methods to kill these ticks and prevent the disease in people. Community approaches like tasking homeowners to try to kill ticks in their own yards, or local efforts towards disrupting the disease's life-cycle between deer, rodents (which can carry Lyme bacteria), ticks and humans could help reduce risk.
"We know people can prevent tick bites through steps like using repellents and tick checks. Although these measures are effective, they aren't fail-proof and people don't always use them," Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, director of CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, said in the press release. "We need to move to a broader approach to tick reduction, involving entire communities, to combat this public health problem."
Source: CBS/AP/ August 19, 2013, 1:09 PM
"CDC: Lyme disease rates 10 times higher than previously reported." Check out the video at: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57599168/cdc-lyme-disease-rates-10-times-higher-than-previously-reported/
U.S. Lyme Disease Cases Vastly Under-reported: CDC
Ongoing studies suggest ticks infect 300,000 people each year. About 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, which is about 10 times higher than the number of cases reported each year to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a new report.
The findings are from three ongoing CDC studies that are using different methods to determine the number of Americans diagnosed with the tick-borne disease each year.
One study is analyzing six years of annual medical claims information from about 22 million people, another is based on a survey of clinical laboratories and the third is an analysis of self-reported Lyme disease cases from a survey of the general public.
More than 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the CDC each year, making it the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the nation. However, these new findings suggest that this figure is well below the actual number of cases.
"We know that routine surveillance only gives us part of the picture, and that the true number of illnesses is much greater," Dr. Paul Mead, chief of epidemiology and surveillance for CDC's Lyme disease program, said in a CDC news release. "This new preliminary estimate confirms that Lyme disease is a tremendous public health problem in the United States, and clearly highlights the urgent need for prevention."
Most Lyme disease cases reported to the CDC occur in the Northeast and upper Midwest, with 96 percent of cases occurring in 13 states, according to the news release. (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/08/19/us-lyme-disease-cases-vastly-underreported-cdc)
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So that's food for thought y'all - there's plenty of info out there for you to read about this topic & if anyone has a really great source or particularly well written article about this post in the comments section and I'll be sure to check it out. As always have a happy & healthy day everyone and be sure to return to Between Health and Wealth Avenues tomorrow! I hope everyone is right today and making small changes towards a better life. See you soon folks! Peace, Audrey
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