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Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that features a skin rash, swollen joints and flu-like symptoms. It is mainly found in the eastern United States but has been reported in all 50 states with the highest incidence along the eastern seaboard, Wisconsin, Minnesota and northern California.
Lyme disease is caused by the transmission of the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete from mice to the blacklegged tick (also know the deer-tick) and then the tick bite humans. Additional simular disease are found in Europe and northern Asia.
The CDC reports a 100% increase in cases of Lyme Disease in the U.S. from 1991-2006, while recognizing that at least ten times more cases may go unreported. In 2005 alone, 23,305 cases were reported in the U.S.
Regardless of location, primary symptoms of Lyme Disease are characterized by persistent fatigue, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and subjective cognitive slowing. Some authors refute the "chronic" label and instead attribute the symptoms to coincidence of the initial infection.
As stated above, you get the disease from the bite of an infected tick. Sometimes it is hard to know if you have Lyme disease because you may not have noticed a tick bite. Also, many of its symptoms are like those of other diseases. Symptoms may include
Antibiotics usually cure early stage Lyme disease. The bottom line, don't underestimate Lyme Disease, if left untreated, the disease can cause problems with the joints, heart and nervous system.
NOTE: We will not deny there is a correlation between deer population and Lyme disease. However, we don't believe recreational hunting each year will prevent the spread of the disease. As a matter of fact, we believe recreational hunting will only encourage the deer in the area to move about more freely and thus spread Lyme disease. This is evident with bucks traveling long distance to find does during mating seasons. As we thin the herd, new deer will move due to the freed-up feeding area.
If this is not true then explain why Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of reported case of Lyme disease and yet more deer are hunted in the state compared to other states? As a matter of fact, some hunting groups here in Pennsylvania have complained, even sued the PGC, stating there are not enough deer in area of the state to hunt. Have you ever notice how deer move into "safe area" during hunting seasons? If not, next time go to the Poconos, during hunting seasons, check out the Resorts area, where hunting is not permitted - There you will see where deer have moved during the hunting season.
When is the deer hunting season? The fall. When do blacklegged ticks feed on deer? The fall. So if the ticks move more during the fall, when the blacklegged ticks feed on them, it can only be safe to say that recreational hunting is actually facilitating the spread of Lyme Disease. It could be a stretch but we'll never really know as long as the hunters call the shots and control the PGC.
The bottom line: We need more money to stop and cure Lyme Disease! We need more money to do a better job of controlling the deer population in large residential area like East Goshen Township.
Now is the time to put money into studying immunocontraception (birth control) and do a better job of controlling deer in East Goshen Township. Why? Because it is safest way to control the deer in our community.
More Information:
Senate Game and Fisheries Committee meeting (May 1, 2007)
Carl G Roe, Executive Director of the PA Game Commission, testified in front of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee for the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). Roe explained that ticks carrying infections are also borne on animals such as chipmunks and mice. He argued that especially in the Southeast, the deer herd is somewhat compacted and therefore do not roam around a lot and spread the disease like they would in other areas. Roe pointed out that rodents are more responsible for carrying ticks when they are in the stage where they spread Lyme's disease. Deer carry them when they are in the reproduction stage.
Lyme[R]Primer by Lyme Disease Association
A very informative brochure (PDF file copy) called Lyme[R]Primer put out by The Lyme Disease Association explains details about Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
Lyme Disease Association
Support the LDA in Finding a Cure & Treatment for Chronic Lyme Disease!
Lyme Disease Foundation
Includes details about the organization, diseases, ticks, education, journals, conferences, research, vaccines and personal stories.
Lyme Disease Network
The Lyme Disease Network (LymeNet) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing physicians, patients and researchers with the latest information on the Disease.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that features a skin rash, swollen joints and flu-like symptoms. It is mainly found in the eastern United States but has been reported in all 50 states with the highest incidence along the eastern seaboard, Wisconsin, Minnesota and northern California.
Lyme disease is caused by the transmission of the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete from mice to the blacklegged tick (also know the deer-tick) and then the tick bite humans. Additional simular disease are found in Europe and northern Asia.
The CDC reports a 100% increase in cases of Lyme Disease in the U.S. from 1991-2006, while recognizing that at least ten times more cases may go unreported. In 2005 alone, 23,305 cases were reported in the U.S.
Regardless of location, primary symptoms of Lyme Disease are characterized by persistent fatigue, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and subjective cognitive slowing. Some authors refute the "chronic" label and instead attribute the symptoms to coincidence of the initial infection.
As stated above, you get the disease from the bite of an infected tick. Sometimes it is hard to know if you have Lyme disease because you may not have noticed a tick bite. Also, many of its symptoms are like those of other diseases. Symptoms may include
- A skin rash, often resembling a bulls-eye
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Stiff neck
- Swelling of knees and other large joints
Antibiotics usually cure early stage Lyme disease. The bottom line, don't underestimate Lyme Disease, if left untreated, the disease can cause problems with the joints, heart and nervous system.
NOTE: We will not deny there is a correlation between deer population and Lyme disease. However, we don't believe recreational hunting each year will prevent the spread of the disease. As a matter of fact, we believe recreational hunting will only encourage the deer in the area to move about more freely and thus spread Lyme disease. This is evident with bucks traveling long distance to find does during mating seasons. As we thin the herd, new deer will move due to the freed-up feeding area.
If this is not true then explain why Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of reported case of Lyme disease and yet more deer are hunted in the state compared to other states? As a matter of fact, some hunting groups here in Pennsylvania have complained, even sued the PGC, stating there are not enough deer in area of the state to hunt. Have you ever notice how deer move into "safe area" during hunting seasons? If not, next time go to the Poconos, during hunting seasons, check out the Resorts area, where hunting is not permitted - There you will see where deer have moved during the hunting season.
When is the deer hunting season? The fall. When do blacklegged ticks feed on deer? The fall. So if the ticks move more during the fall, when the blacklegged ticks feed on them, it can only be safe to say that recreational hunting is actually facilitating the spread of Lyme Disease. It could be a stretch but we'll never really know as long as the hunters call the shots and control the PGC.
The bottom line: We need more money to stop and cure Lyme Disease! We need more money to do a better job of controlling the deer population in large residential area like East Goshen Township.
Now is the time to put money into studying immunocontraception (birth control) and do a better job of controlling deer in East Goshen Township. Why? Because it is safest way to control the deer in our community.
More Information:
Carl G Roe, Executive Director of the PA Game Commission, testified in front of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee for the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). Roe explained that ticks carrying infections are also borne on animals such as chipmunks and mice. He argued that especially in the Southeast, the deer herd is somewhat compacted and therefore do not roam around a lot and spread the disease like they would in other areas. Roe pointed out that rodents are more responsible for carrying ticks when they are in the stage where they spread Lyme's disease. Deer carry them when they are in the reproduction stage.
A very informative brochure (PDF file copy) called Lyme[R]Primer put out by The Lyme Disease Association explains details about Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
Support the LDA in Finding a Cure & Treatment for Chronic Lyme Disease!
Includes details about the organization, diseases, ticks, education, journals, conferences, research, vaccines and personal stories.
The Lyme Disease Network (LymeNet) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing physicians, patients and researchers with the latest information on the Disease.
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