“This study’s findings suggest that multiple Borrelia species may be causing Lyme disease in the Southeast, another tick species may also be transmitting it in the Southeast and that it may be much more common here than was previously thought,” says Clark. “Additional evidence presented suggests that some people may develop chronic infections, and the current antibody testing approach for Lyme disease may not identify the infections.” The belief that only black-legged “deer ticks” can transmit Lyme disease has been widely publicized for decades. Lyme disease risk has been calculated largely based upon the prevalence and infection rate of these “deer ticks. Clark’s findings, together with past studies implicating lone star ticks associated with Lyme disease, suggest otherwise. Clark and his team identified lone star ticks removed from humans who tested positive for Lyme bacteria, including the species of Borrelia burgdorferi, already known to cause the disease in North America. Some of the ticks removed from the patients tested positive, too. Lyme disease can be quite serious and patients can suffer for years, often struggling with being properly diagnosed. news.wjct.org/post/unf-researchers-make-big-discovery-about-lyme-disease#.UesNSwQv0a0.facebook
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 06:35:20 +0000
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