LYME FACTS

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According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the fastest growing Vector Borne Infectious Disease in the United States.

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  • THERE ARE AT LEAST 340,000 NEWLY DIAGNOSED LYME CASES PER YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE.
  • LYME DISEASE IS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE WITH PREDOMINANTLY NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS.
  • THE NUMBER OF LYME CASES REPORTED ANNUALLY IN THE US HAS INCREASED 25-FOLD SINCE NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE BEGAN IN 1982.
  • THERE ARE OVER 100 STRAINS of BORRELIA BURGDORFERI IN THE US, AND 300 STRAINS WORLDWIDE. 
  • FEWER THAN 50% OF PATIENTS WITH LYME DISEASE RECALL A TICK BITE OR RASH.
  • RESEARCH INDICATES 50-70% OF PATIENTS TESTED FOR LYME DISEASE RECEIVE FALSE NEGATIVE RESULTS. 
  • OVER 50% OF TICKS IN LYME-ENDEMIC AREAS ARE INFECTED WITH THE LYME BACTERIA.
  • AT LEAST 50% OF LYME DISEASE SYMPTOMS CAN BE EASILY MISTAKEN FOR OTHER ILLNESSES.  
  • 20-60% OF LYME PATIENTS END UP WITH LONG TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS.
  • THE AVERAGE PATIENT SEES 5 DOCTORS OVER NEARLY A 2 YEAR PERIOD BEFORE BEING DIAGNOSED.  
  • COMMON SHORT TREATMENT COURSES HAVE RESULTED IN AT LEAST 40% RELAPSE RATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN TREATMENT IS DELAYED.