MARYLAND SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT
In 2005, in response to calls for an improved Lyme disease response by patient advocacy groups, Maryland formed a Lyme disease subcommittee to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Vector-Borne Disease Interagency Task Force. The subcommittee consisted of public health and other state agency officials, local public health officials, representatives from patient advocacy and support groups, physicians, and other health care officials. In March 2007, the subcommittee issued a report entitled “Recommendations for the Development of a Strategic Plan for Lyme Disease Prevention and Control in Maryland.”
The report explains the history of the disease in Maryland: it became a formally reportable disease in 1989 and the number of reported cases increased from 238 in 1990 to 1,235 in 2005. The subcommittee recommended an integrated public health program to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease and strengthen control measures. This requires (1) cooperation between the public health department, healthcare organizations, and patient support and advocacy groups; (2) improved integration in the public health department; (3) improved research and investigation; (4) increased citizen awareness; and (5) increased research to strengthen prevention and treatment techniques.
The subcommittee reviewed and made recommendations about:
1. surveillance,
2. ecology,
3. public awareness and provider education,
4. diagnosis,
5. treatment, and
6. public policy.
Overall, the subcommittee recommended:
1. enhancements to surveillance for Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses for a more accurate picture of the diseases in Maryland,
2. public education about tick population control and the need for additional research on the effectiveness of certain host control measures,
3. increased information sharing for the public and providers to enhance easy access to current diagnostic and treatment information, and
4. making educational materials and programs available to school-aged children and campers (http://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/strategic-plan).
According to state agency officials, most of the specific recommendations in the report were adopted by the state agencies, including updating mandatory reporting requirements and improving reporting procedures.