Lyme on the Loose
How to Prevent this Disease
NEIRAD enilno edition
Keep on the lookout for bull’s-eyes! This telltale red ring means a tick has bitten. With summer fast approaching Lyme disease will be out in full force. The bacterium is carried in mice, squirrels, but most importantly deer, which transmit the bacteria to certain species of ticks.
It is difficult to catch the disease in the early stages. The rash is not painful, and the symptoms similar to many common illnesses. “The rash gets red and puffy, but if it is in a weird place, it’s hard to catch,” school nurse Ellen Ryan said.
Signs include fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches. The disease spreads rapidly. It can lead to more serious health issues such as shooting pains during sleep, heart palpitations, and dizziness from changes in the heartbeat.
These symptoms were picked up by two mothers along the Eastern seaboard in 1975. The women from Lyme, Connecticut were bothered by the lack of concern for this mysterious ailment affecting their children and friends. They alerted the Connecticut State Health Department and Yale Medical Center which led to a full-scale investigation.
State health officials interviewed infected Lyme citizens, and concluded that those who were affected were much more likely to have owned a pet such as a cat, farm animal, or a pet with ticks. Dr. Burgdorfer, the lead doctor of the investigation from Yale Medical Center, discovered the source of the infection—bacteria on a deer tick.
Thanks to Dr. Burgdorfer, it is much safer for children to play on the banks of the Connecticut River where tick checks are a part of regular life. Yes, it is an annoying end to a perfect summer day, but the precaution is far less horrible than contracting the disease.
Connecticut is one of the seven states in the Northeast which contributes to 90 per cent of Lyme disease cases in the country. “Checking for ticks is the only way to prevent the disease from spreading into the bloodstream, and even worse, into the spinal fluid,” warns Nurse Ryan.
Symptoms fall into three phases: skin rash, cardiac and neurological issues, and finally chronic arthritis. Sadly, English teacher Mr. Matt Pavia endured all of these symptoms during his freshman year at Fordham University. In September, he began to feel achy with a constant headache, and feelings of extreme lethargy. “I would go from class to class, and just sleep through the whole lecture,” Mr. Pavia said.
He lost his appetite, and his hands were freezing cold. “I would run my hands under hot water, and I couldn’t even feel them,” Mr. Pavia explained. After visiting several doctors to no avail, Mr. Pavia went to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist for a sore throat.
Interestingly enough, this doctor was the only one to suggest a Lyme disease test. After Mr. Pavia tested positive, he concluded that the source was a tick bite at the camp he worked after his senior year.
Given that Mr. Pavia caught the progression of the disease in the later stages he experienced all three stages. “I never discovered the skin rash, so I had no indication that I had Lyme disease,” Mr. Pavia said.
The illness had been in his system for such a long period of time that he began to suffer from anxiety attacks. The symptoms abated once doctors diagnosed Lyme disease. He began a strong dose of antibiotics, which eventually helped dissipate the bacteria.
Though technically rid of the disease, Mr. Pavia’s body still experiences the chronic symptoms of Lyme or “phantom ailments” as he calls them—mostly headaches and arthritis.
Mr. Pavia’s story is similar to the millions of people around the world who suffer from Lyme disease. So remember this summer to let your parents check you for ticks and bull’s-eyes! It may be a pain. But it is far less hassle than Lyme disease.
