History of Lyme Disease

I recently read this article about Lyme Disease.  It chronicles one woman’s journey after discovering she had been diagnosed with Lyme disease.  The article is in Yankee Magazine.  To read the article, click here.   I think this article is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about the disease.  It presents a theory about the origin of Lyme in the United States that differs from some other theories I have heard.  In this article, the author talks about Lyme being traced, allegedly, to a US biological factory near Long Island, NY.  The article suggests that Lyme originated there and was spread through the Atlantic Flyway by birds to areas like Lyme, Connecticut, the town the disease is named after.  In other sources, I have read that Lyme disease is believed to have existed prior to its approxiamtely 1975 discovery date in Lyme.  To learn about that theory, I would suggest watching a movie called Under Our Skin.   The article does a good job of explaining the political controversy around this disease.  Many doctors are afraid to diagnose the disease, but one thing is clear deer ticks are responsible for transmitting the corkscrew shaped bacteria to humans. 

One thing is clear, you want to stay away from this disease.   The article suggests that an island in New England reduced its Lyme disease by completely eliminating its deer population.  This would make it clear that if you live near deer, you are at risk of being infected.

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Tags: Lyme Disease, Under Our Skin