Examples Of Reporting Problems

In Several States- 2015

Florida Report- forget the mosquitoes and West Nile Virus- only 12 cases reported all year. And Zika Virus is averaging only 90 locally acquired cases per year across the entire state. But, there were 166 reported cases of Lyme disease in 2015.

Heading south for the winter? You might want to stay in Georgia (rather than Florida) if you are concerned about Lyme disease. (Just kidding.)

For example, traveling south from the mid-Atlantic area you pass through the following states with the number of reported cases also listed.

Maryland- 1,728 cases

Virginia- 1,102 cases

North Carolina- 230 cases

South Carolina- 42 cases

Georgia- 8 cases

But, Florida reported 166 cases in 2015.

We all know the IDSA/CDC* still insists there is no Lyme disease in the south, so how can that be?

*Florida Lyme Disease- Since Florida borders the great State of Georgia to its north, and they rarely have a reported case, and Florida is surrounded by water to the east, west and south, the ticks that gave Florida residents Lyme disease must have come over by boat from Cuba. ??

Texas Report- Thanks to the Texas LDA’s hard work, and a generous donation of tiny instruction booklets, compliments of the IDSA/CDC, ticks in Texas are now able to read state border signs!

Texas ticks have also been well trained by support group volunteers to stay within their own State so as not to infect unsuspecting residents of other states.

I once overheard a Texas tick, who was leaving a Texas LDA educational forum, whispering over and over to himself, “what happens in Texas, stays in Texas”. Congratulations to the Texas LDA for their fine work of keeping their ticks "in place"!

Results from Texas...

Texas- 54 Reported Cases in 2015

Bordering TX to the west is New Mexico- Zero cases

Bordering TX to the north is Oklahoma and Arkansas- Both Had Zero Cases

Bordering TX to the east is Louisiana- Only 3 cases reported (these ticks may have slipped into Louisiana from Mississippi).

California Report- We all know California is a bit strange, but we graciously allow them to hang out on our west coast just to be polite. We've noticed they are really pushing their luck though and getting stranger by the day. Everyone knows Lyme disease numbers are higher than the number of other vector borne diseases in all States across the country. But, NOT in California!

CA has over seven times more “other” vector borne disease reports than Lyme disease.

765 cases of “other” vector borne diseases were reported in 2015. CA Lyme disease- only 98 reported cases. What's going on there? CA ranking in USA is- West Nile (1st), Q-fever (1st), Dengue (2nd), Hantavirus (3rd).

Pennsylvania Report- PA has almost double the number of reported Lyme cases as the second place state (NJ). PA has NO cases of Babesiosis* though and few of the other tick borne diseases we know are out there.

* PA- Babesiosis is still not reportable.

** 18 additional States are still not requiring the reporting of Babesiosis.

Lucy Barnes

AfterThebite@gmail.com