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Lyme disease cases increase in Pennsylvania

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Washington and Greene counties saw a combined 41 cases of Lyme disease in 2014. It was also the first year, according to state Health Secretary Dr. Karen Murphy, that the tick-transmitted disease was reported in every county.

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Health report, Lyme disease incidents have risen dramatically, with nearly 7,800 cases in 2014, up from approximately 5,900 the previous year. Numbers are considerably lower in Washington and Greene counties, but cases are, regardless, increasing. Washington County’s 36 cases is up from fewer than four cases in 2008. Greene County had five cases in 2014.

Allegheny County reported 822 cases of Lyme disease in 2014, a huge increase from 145 in 2013, according to county and state health officials.

Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Karen Hacker said at a news conference with Murphy on Wednesday that some of the uptick in the disease was due to underreporting cases and increased surveillance. The symptoms include a bullseye rash at the site of a bite, fatigue, chills, headache, muscle and joint paint and swollen lymph nodes.

The state Department of Environmental Protection reported 34 percent of deer ticks in Allegheny County that were tested came back positive for the bacteria borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease.

Epidemiologist Kristen Mertz said Allegheny County data show young children and senior age groups reported most instances of Lyme disease.

“The two big groups were 5-to 9-year-olds and 50-to 65-year-olds,” she said.

The tick population is increasing and spreading by hitching a ride on animals like deer, mice, raccoons and birds, according to entomologist Bill Todaro.

“And you can’t prevent this at a county level like mosquitoes, where you can go in, find a concentration of still water and blast them. There are pesticides you can use on your yard, but we can’t do that. The best method is repellent with longer clothing,” he said.

Chief of Infectious Disease at Monongahela Valley Hospital Dr. David Weber said that while not all ticks are infected, a rise in infected ticks is most likely responsible for the increase in Lyme disease. According to Weber, tick bites frequently go unnoticed until it’s too late, as ticks typically take around 48 hours to transfer the disease. People should always inspect themselves after heading back indoors and also properly protect themselves when heading out, Weber says. There is no vaccine to protect humans, but, if caught early, antibiotic treatment is effective.

“People should wear long pants, and tuck them into their socks,” Weber said. “Be aware that pets can also carry the ticks, dogs in particular.”

There is a vaccine for pets.

“If your dogs aren’t vaccinated, they can be like a canary in the coal mine. That’s not to say don’t get them vaccinated, you should. But if they come down with Lyme disease, they’ll become lame very quickly; switching legs back and forth and eventually they just stop moving around,” Todaro said.

The Department of Health also urged parents to take caution with their children being outdoors.

“Children who have been playing outside should be checked for ticks by their parents or guardians,” said Acting Physician General Rachel Levine in a news release. “If you do find a tick on your body or your child’s body, we recommend that you remove the tick carefully with a set of fine-tipped tweezers. Showering within two hours of outdoor exposure may also help prevent transmission.”

“You’ve got to look hard for these guys through July, because they are in their nymph stage; barely a speck of dirt,” Todaro said. “And you likely won’t notice them if they’re on you until two days later when they get full of blood.”

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