Lyme disease has afflicted more people in Carroll County this year than any other county in the state.
Carroll topped the list last year with 197 cases, and 140 have already been confirmed this year, said Debbie Middleton, director of communicative diseases at the county Health Department.
Lyme disease has increased nationally, as well. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of cases nearly doubled, from 12,000 cases to 23,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“If it is not diagnosed right away, people contract long-term, chronic illnesses ? not everybody, but there?s a possibility,” Middleton said.
Often a bull?s-eye rash will form where a victim was bitten by an infected deer tick and if it goes untreated, the disease will bring on flu-like symptoms, she said.
If it persists without treatment, arthritis, neurological disorders and heart disease can result.
Mary Ann Wolfenden, of Westminster, knows well the dangers of Lyme disease. She walks with a cane, having been afflicted by the disease for 28 years.
Physicians did not know enough about Lyme disease then, so the Westminster resident is trying to raise awareness and support those who are ill, as co-coordinator of the Central Maryland Lyme Disease Support Group.
“It is horrible,” she said. “The perception from the doctors is unfortunately, that it?s not a big deal.”
She was bitten by a deer tick when she was 19 and went 11 years not knowing she had Lyme disease. She still hasn?t been able to shake the disease. But Wolfenden said it?s been hard for her to find doctors to treat her illness.
Some refuse to treat it for more than three weeks because its symptoms can vary, making it hard to diagnose, she said.
“There?s two sides fighting, and unfortunately, it?s the patient that suffers,” Wolfenden said.
Carroll?s rural areas make Lyme disease prevalent in the county.
People need to check themselves and their pets for ticks after being outside and seek treatment quickly if they have symptoms, officials say.
“People have to educate themselves,” Wolfenden said. “But you can?t be afraid; you can?t live in a bubble.”
For more information
How to protect yourself from Lyme disease:
» Tuck in clothing
» Wear white clothing to easily see ticks
» Wear insect repellent
» Check yourself, others and pets for ticks
Symptoms of Lyme disease:
» Fever
» Headache
» Fatigue
» Bull?s-eye rash
