While many WA doctors are still supported in using the outdated "wait-and-see" approach to tick bites and possible infections, more and more families are affected by tick-borne disease. Learn about Lyme; knowledge is power. The estimated national yearly rate of infection is now roughly 480,000 cases. Close to half a million people!
The CDC reports 23 new cases of Lyme in WA last year -- I can tell you we have been contacted by many more people yet to be properly diagnosed, or who have had their diagnosis rejected by the health department, insurance companies, and indeed most doctors who are behind in the facts.
Kris Newby, an award-winning screenwriter and science writer, blogs:
Lyme cases spike 77% from 2006 to 2008
Blog: Under Our Skin, published by Open Eye Pictures.
Written by: Kris Newby
August 23, 2009
http://underourskin.com/blog/?p=337
Lyme disease continued its steep rise in 2008, as the CDC posted a final
tally of 35,198 reported cases, a 28% increase over the previous year.
Looking at a two-year timeframe, cases increased by 77% from 2006 to
2008. According to CDC epidemiologists, these reported cases are
underestimated 6- to 12-fold, due to inherent flaws in its passive
reporting system. So, the actual number of new Lyme cases in 2008 may
total upwards of 420,000. And many Lyme-literate physicians believe that
the real numbers may be even higher.
In 2008 the CDC changed its Lyme reporting process to include both
"confirmed" and "probable" cases in the total, and during this
transition year, it's difficult to tell how this affected the accuracy
of the case count. Fifteen states failed to report any "probable" cases.
Read the complete blog entry and join the conversation:
http://underourskin.com/blog/?p=337
Related Link
Final tally of CDC Lyme Disease numbers for 2008:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5831a5.htm
Please contact your Representatives in Congress to ask them to support the Lyme Bills (HR 1179 & S 1352)...any information needed about the bills can be found at http://www.cwork.com/ This would mean a lot to the Lyme Community, made up of many of our neighbours.
For online support in our state, please see:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/WALDUC-Support/
