CDC Estimates 300,000 Americans DX Lyme each year

[Chemar]

http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0819-lyme-disease.html

[LaurenK]

Just to put this in a larger context, there are 313 million people living in the United States. 300,000/ 313,000,000 is less than 1% of the population within the US.

Edited August 20, 2013 by LaurenK

[LNN]

The rate of MS in the US is 1 in 1000 - we don't dismiss MS as not a big deal just because it doesn't effect all of us. The CDC estimates that 50,000 people in the US get infected with HIV every year (1/6 of this lyme estimate). Yet it's a very big deal. And unlike MS or HIV. lyme disease is very, very often mis-diagnosed for years. So the actual number of infections may be much higher. In addition, this is 300,000 NEW cases each year, not simply 300,000 total cases walking around the country.

 

I thinkn the point of the article is that it's a much bigger problem than doctors and the press have historically acknowledged. Considering how many kids roll down a hill in the grass or hide in bushes in a game of hide and seek, it's something every parent should be aware of.

 

(edited to remove incorrect math, done prior to morning coffee)

Edited August 20, 2013 by LLM

[Hopeny]

I think the cdc acknowledgement of the higher infection rate is significant into regards to getting research dollars allocated and to getting a new look at the treatment guidelines. The government is already funding pandas research with swedo's work. Since Lyme/chronic Lyme could be preventable education makes a lot of sense.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Hopeny

[sf_mom]

Another interesting statistic:

 

$100 is spent on research per individual diagnosed with Lyme Disease currently while $80,000 is spent on research for per individual diagnosed with breast cancer.

[Hopeny]

 

Just to put this in a larger context, there are 313 million people living in the United States. 300,000/ 313,000,000 is less than 1% of the population within the US.

I think you may mean .1%. In any case it's an acknowledgment of under reporting and a public health threat.

[LaurenK]

SF Mom, MS takes your life- from my knowledge (and I may be wrong) Lyme disease in most cases does not kill you.

[SSS]

It very well may kill you- attacks the heart,

spirochetes have been found in Alzheimer's brains,

Lyme patients in wheelchairs and bedridden.

Babesia is just like malaria.

I could go on and on, but, what's the point?

[LNN]

In Cure Unknown, a very, very thoroughly researched book that does not stray into unconventional theories or unsubstantiated anecdotal evidence, Pamela Weintraub documents a case where lyme disease does kill. Under Our Skin also documents cases where untreated lyme led to death.

 

Yes, I do think every parent should be told that strep can trigger OCD. Even if it is rare, to the person with Pandas, that knowledge can be life changing. I do not advocate inciting paranoia but I do advocate for dissemination of information and education of caregivers.

 

(HopeNY - thanks for the math point. I edited my first response to remove bad math done too early in the morning without a calculator).

 

edit - a friend just posted this on another site - http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Poughkeepsie-Teenager-Dies-Tick-Virus-Investigation-Joseph-Elone-220270481.html

Deadly Tick Virus Eyed in Death of NY Teen Who Collapsed in Yard Joseph Elone's family says the Hudson Valley teen was sick for about two weeks before he suddenly collapsed and died

He died not from lyme but from a tick infected with Powassan encephalitis. The virus is untreatable and can be transmitted by a tick bite in a matter of minutes.

 

6% of the ticks in the Hudson Valley are estimated to carry this virus.

Edited August 20, 2013 by LLM

[mama2alex]

It seems that some of what I was originally responding to has been edited/deleted, so I'd like to amend my post to say this:

 

With regards to Lyme being fatal in some cases - absolutely. As mentioned above, Lyme has been implicated in heart disease, Alzheimer's, and MS, not to mention ALS and cancer. In addition, it's not uncommon for chronic Lyme patients to take their own lives after years of unsuccessfully battling this disease, either due to depression or no longer being able to go on living so disabled and in so much pain - or a combination of the two.

 

Regarding the CDC press release, it's so good to see the CDC starting to acknowledge what ILADS has been saying for years. Hopefully, this is a sign of policy, testing, and treatment guideline changes to come.

Edited August 21, 2013 by mama2alex

[LaurenK]

- I'm done here.

Edited August 20, 2013 by LaurenK

[mdmom]

Many on here deal with Lyme and yes, I agree it can kill - not only by directly affecting a body system, but it can cause extreme depression and has led to suicide in some cases.

 

It has wreaked havoc on my family, my finances, our family's future.

 

The more mainstream press this awful disease gets, the better.

Edited August 21, 2013 by mdmom

[Mary wag]

Well said mdmom:). Lymes has changed my family forever. Thought at first we were dealing with pandas. Then got lymes diagnosis.

I have learned so much from all the great parents on this board. Thank you.