Is Eagan at Risk for Lyme Disease?

(The original version of this story was written by Heather Martino.)

***

Good news for Minnesotans! Lyme disease was down by 290 cases in 2012. 

There were 911 confirmed people infected with Lyme disease across Minnesota last year, statistics obtained by Patch show. That’s down from 1,201 in 2011 and the lowest since 2003, according to the latest figures released by the Minnesota Department of Health.

How to Protect Yourself
Named for the town of Old Lyme in Connecticut where it was first discovered in 1975, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that occurs when an infected blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick, attaches to and bites a host, passing along the bacteria.

Thirteen states in the Northeast and Midwest reported 96% of all cases of Lyme disease in 2011. That’s because blacklegged ticks only live in those parts of the county, the CDC said. The ticks are most commonly found in moist, wooded areas because they’re susceptible to drying out, Schiffman said.

Risk maps reflect this pattern, with the northeastern half of the state showing moderate to high risk for Lyme disease and the southeastern half of the state showing a low risk. Hennepin County is deemed a modern risk for tick-born diseases.

Dr. Pritish Tosh of the Mayo Clinic recommends “checking [for] and removing ticks after outdoor activities, wearing protective clothing and using insect repellent.” A tick must be removed within 36-48 hours in order to prevent the transmission of bacteria. 

The CDC recommends using fine-tipped tweezers to remove the tick, and experts said to contact your doctor if you develop signs of infection such as:

• Red, expanding bulls-eye rash
• Headaches
  
• Fever
• Fatigue
  
• Muscle and joint aches
• Swollen lymph nodes

If you develop any of these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately, because the disease can be frustratingly difficult to nail down. Lyme Disease survivor Katina Makris told Patch she was misdiagnosed for five years.

“I called it my full life tsunami,” she said.

Then 42, Makris was bedridden with flu-like symptoms. She said that as a result, her marriage crumbled, she lost her job and then had to sell her house to pay for medical bills. 

And while researchers work to develop a vaccine, there is not currently one available, so it’s important to stay safe. Follow these handy prevention tips from the CDC:

• Avoid moist, humid environments and leafy areas where ticks like to live
• Repel ticks with bug sprays, like DEET or Permethrin
  
• Check your family and pets for ticks on a daily basis
• Be alert for fever or rash, even if you don’t remember being bitten by a tick
  
• Limit pets’ access to tick-infested areas, and use tick collars or spot treatment
• Create tick-safe zones in your yard by raking up leaves, using a bug spray and discouraging deer

The upside is that the cure is very effective. Those who contract Lyme disease will typically be given the antibiotic doxycycline, which should clear up the disease in a few days to a few week, Schiffman said.

“Lyme disease is actually a very treatable condition,” she said.