*Lyme Disease on May 25th Health Notes*

Kinshasha will be talking with Dr. Leslie Vilansky and Dr. Betty Maloney about the short and long term consequences of Lyme Disease.

LYME DISEASE IN MINNESOTA

1 in 3 deer ticks carry Borrelia burgdoreferi (Bb), the bacterial cause of Lyme disease. These ticks may carry other bacteria and parasites (referred to as co-infections), which complicate the clinical picture.

Once thought to be found only in wooded areas, deer ticks have expanded their range and are now found across Minnesota, including the 7-county metro.

Lyme disease has increased 450% in the past 10 years. The state ranks 8th in the nation for reported cases; in 2008, 1,282 cases were reported to the CDC. Due to under-reporting, the CDC estimates that the actual number of surveillance cases is likely to be 10 times more, meaning MN probably had over 12,800 cases in 2008.