Posted by KING from IP 76.18.19.70 on November 30, 2006 at 06:14:57:
In Reply to: King, please ans/explantion your question, thanks posted by AAA on November 30, 2006 at 01:41:09:
In 2001, the CDC reported 17,029 cases and, in 2002, that number rose to 23,763—a 40% increase. Year-to-year variation can be significant. More than 95% of cases come from 12 states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin). Even within these states, incidence can be quite variable from county to county and even neighborhood to neighborhood.
Overall in the United States, incidence is 6.0-8.2 cases per 100,000 population (2001 and 2002 data). However, in Connecticut in 2001, the rate was nearly 134 cases per 100,000 population, and, on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the rate exceeded 1000 cases per 100,000 population.
Epidemiologic data suggest that the actual incidence of Lyme disease could be as much as 10 times higher than the CDC data indicate. This probably is a result of a restrictive case definition from the CDC, inevitable misdiagnosis, and the fact that physicians tend to underreport reportable diseases of all kinds.
Tick bites usually do not require antibiotic prophylaxis, even though they can transmit diseases like Lyme, Babesiosis, or Ehrlichiosis. If the tick is engorged, and the patient comes from an endemic area, treatment may be needed in certain cases (e.g., pregnant women or patients with debilitating conditions, or immunodepression). Prophylaxis is achieved with a single dose of doxycycline. If the patient is pregnant, the drug of choice is amoxicillin.