Lyme Disease and Climate

Lyme Disease is Spreading as Climate Changes

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi It is transmitted through the bite of ticks The ticks are vectors of the disease Nymphs (young juveniles) of the black legged tick also known as the deer tick introduce the bacterium when they bite

What is Lyme Disease?

Borrelia burgdorferi

Blacklegged Ticks are the Vectors

Tick and Bulls Eye

Self Examination

Early Localized Stage (3-30 days) post tick bite Red expanding rash called erythema migrans (EM or bulls eye rash) Fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle joint ache, and swollen lymph nodes

Signs and Symptoms

Most patients respond to an antibiotics Doxycycline antibiotic 10 20% of treated patients don't respond and they require additional treatment with other antibiotics These non-responsive patients are usually those who are not caught in the early stages

Treatment

10-20% of treated patients have lingering symptoms of fatigue, joint pain, and muscle aches Post treatment Lyme disease Syndrome (PTLDS) Post treatment with antibiotics does no good and may actually harm the patient The good news: Most patients get well after several months

Post Treatment

Reported Cases of Lyme Disease

Maine 791 Massachusetts 4019 Rhode Island 150 Connecticut 2751 New York 4134 New Jersey 4598 Pennsylvania 3818 Delaware 984

Cases per State

Virginia 698 North Carolina 21 South Carolina 25 Georgia 40 Florida 77

Cases per State 2009

As the earth warms up. Which direction (North or South) do you predict that we will see the largest increase in Lyme disease cases? Who will be more affected, Canadians or Floridians? Why?

As the Climate Becomes Warmer