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.