Since May was Lyme Disease Awareness Month, it is important to shed light on a topic that is not commonly discussed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the U.S. every year, which is 1.5 times the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer, and six times the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS each year in the U.S. (https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/about-lyme/). Most people get Lyme disease from the bite of the nymphal form of the tick. Many people do not even realize they have been bitten because nymphs are only about the size of a poppy seed and their bite is painless. Lyme disease is often times mistaken for other conditions or diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, depression, etc. It is crucial to be aware of the risk factors and symptoms associated with this disease in order to properly treat it sooner rather than later.
Listen below to Public Health Minute’s segment on “Lyme Disease.”
