New Tick Species to the US Identified in NJ: Disease Threat Being Evaluated
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, a l s o known as longhorned or bush tick Photo: James OcciThe Lyme Disease Association reports that a new tick species to the U.S. has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The East Asian tick’s presence, aka longhorned or bush tick, was confirmed in Hunterdon County NJ on November 9. Initial ID was done by Rutgers and Hunterdon Co. Division of Health. The animals and property they were found on have been treated to eliminate the tick. Wildlife surveillance in the area is being done to determine if the ticks have spread beyond that area.
This tick is a serious problem for livestock, particularly in New Zealand, as well as to pets and humans. Larval and nymph stages are very small and difficult to see with the naked eye. The tick is dark brown and grows to pea size when fully engorged.
In other parts of the world, this tick has been associates with several human diseases including spotted fever rickettsiosis. Testing is being done through the Department of Agriculture to determine if the ticks just found in NJ are carrying human or animal pathogens.
The information above is from the NJ Department of Agriculture press release and they ask that “If the tick is detected in wildlife, then it should be immediately reported to the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Wildlife Management at (609) 984-6295 or the Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics at (908) 637-4173 ext. 120.”
Click here for Press Release from NJ Dept. of Agriculture
Congress Can Help Stamp Out Lyme Disease Without Taxpayer $$
November 9, 2017─The Lyme Disease Association (LDA) announces that Congressman John Faso (NY-19) has introduced today into the US the
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-19House of Representatives a bipartisan bill, HR 4333, which if passed and signed into law, will provide some much needed monies for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illness research─research within the National Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health. Any monies raised by stamp sales will not affect the level of appropriations or other funding that NIAID would be able to receive in any given year.
LDA President Pat Smith has this to say about the bill: “The Lyme Disease Research Stamp Act introduced by Congressman Faso enables Congress to provide an opportunity to raise much needed funds for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases research, yet it does not add to the financial burden of the federal government. It enables individuals who want to support Lyme research–so that patients can get proper diagnosis and treatment–to do so without a strain on their budgets and without an unnecessary expenditure of time. Buy a Lyme stamp, help save a life! It’s a win-win situation.
The Lyme Disease Association urges all Congressmen and Senators to support the bill.
The stamp would be sold through the United States Post Office (USPS) at a price above the current first class postal rate. The USPO has “discretionary authority to issue and sell semipostal stamps to advance such causes as it considers to be ‘‘in the national public interest and appropriate.’’ See details of the program: https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2017/pr17_057.ht m
Click here for the bill
Click here for Congressman Faso’s press release
Responses Countering CDC’s MMWR Limiting Lyme Disease Treatments
Responses are beginning to come in from organizations and doctors regarding CDC’s limiting of Lyme disease treatments for patients. We will update this list as we continue to receive and review them. As you review each link, if there is an opportunity to respond, please do so. 1) LDA Responds to CDC Limiting Lyme Disease Treatment https://lymediseaseassociation.org/blog/1737-who-controls-fake -lyme-disease-news
2) International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), Leaders in Lyme Disease Education and Training, Letter to the Editor https://lymediseaseassociation.org/news/1739-international-lym e-associated-diseases-society-response-to-cdc
3) Lorraine Johnson, JD, Raphael B. Stricker, MD. PubMed Commons Comment Chronic Lyme Disease Treatment: Science versus Anecdotes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/raphael.stricker.1/commen ts/
4) Samuel Shor, MD, President of International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). PubMed Commons Comment https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28617768#cm28617768_69799
5) Sin Hang Lee, MD, Director of Milford Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory. PubMed Commons Comment See 2017 Jun 18, 9:00 p.m. comment on link below https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28617768#cm28617768_69721
6) Elizabeth Maloney MD, President, Partnership for Tick-Borne Diseases. Watch video of her comments below. 7) Dorothy Kupcha Leland Response from Lymedisease.org Blog, Touched by Lyme https://www.lymedisease.org/touchedbylyme-cdc-ignores-ethics/
8) Huffington Post Response An Open Letter to Editors of The Washington Post About Journalistic Ethics & Integrity by David Michael Conner Article in the link below is lengthy. Make sure you scroll to the end to finish reading. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/an-open-letter-to-editors- of-the-washington-post-about_us_59451b65e4b024b7e0df4c56
9) Outbreak News Today – audio interview of Lorraine Johnson, JD by Robert Herriman Lyme advocate discusses CDC MMWR Chronic Lyme article http://outbreaknewstoday.com/lyme-advocate-discusses-cdc-mmwr- chronic-lyme-article-58978/
HHS Intentions on Tick-Borne Diseases Working Group Announced
The Lyme Disease Association announced that early today, July 14, the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released its intent to establish the Tick-Borne Disease (TBD) Working Group called for in Section 2062 of the 21st Century Cures Act. The working group will assist HHS in its efforts to conduct and support epidemiological, basic, translational and clinical research related to vector-borne diseases, including tick- borne diseases. The working group will function as a Federal Advisory Committee and its activities will be overseen by HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
The Lyme Disease Association announced that early today, July 14, the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released its intent to establish the Tick-Borne Disease (TBD) Working Group called for in Section 2062 of the 21st Century Cures Act. The working group will assist HHS in its efforts to conduct and support epidemiological, basic, translational and clinical research related to vector-borne diseases, including tick-borne diseases. The working group will function as a Federal Advisory Committee and its activities will be overseen by HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.
Language to create the TBD Working Group was incorporated into the 21st Century Cures Act, thanks to the work of Congressman Chris Gibson, advocates, and Lyme Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Chris Smith who all carefully monitored the progress of the Lyme disease bill they supported that was introduced into the House in 2015 (HR 789 Gibson- NY). There was intense grassroots lobbying efforts to ensure the language in the bill was beneficial to patients. Subsequently, some of that language was incorporated into the 21st Century Cures Act passed by the House. The Senate, however, wanted to write its own Cures Act and weakened that Lyme language, and the Lyme community had to fight to get it back. Successful negotiations with House Leadership were led by LDA President Pat Smith and a team of advocates to have the stronger language reinstituted into 21st Century Cures, which enabled the Working Group to have a seat at the table for some of the most important stakeholders: patients/advocates and treating physicians.
The working group’s mission will be to review all the efforts within HHS related to tick-borne diseases, to examine research priorities, to help ensure interagency coordination and to minimize overlap. The working group will be made up of representatives from both federal and non-federal agencies and entities.
HHS is seeking nominations for non-federal members through August 15, 2017. Information is available in the Federal Register Notice: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/07/17/2017-1496 5/requests-for-nominations-tick-borne-disease-working-group
In other information from Washington, DC, the House passed HR 2810 authorization for appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense. It contained an amendment from US Representative Bill Keating (MA) that permits the DOD to partner with medical researchers and universities to test for tick-borne illnesses.
CDC Shuts Off All Prolonged Antibiotic or Immunoglobulin Therapy for Lyme Patients June 16, 2017 – In an MMWR article highlighting several cases of patients diagnosed with Lyme disease who developed complications including death from the treatment, CDC said it does not recommend prolonged antibiotic or immunoglobulin therapy, which it says, lack data supporting effectiveness for chronic Lyme disease.
According to the article entitled “Serious Bacterial Infections Acquired During Treatment of Patients Given a Diagnosis of Chronic Lyme Disease — United States”:
“These cases highlight the severity and scope of adverse effects that can be caused by the use of unproven treatments for chronic Lyme disease. In addition to the dangers associated with inappropriate antibiotic use, such as selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, these treatments can lead to injuries related to unnecessary procedures, bacteremia and resulting metastatic infection, venous thromboses, and missed opportunities to diagnose and treat the actual underlying cause of the patient’s symptoms.”
The CDC told the Lyme Disease Association this morning that this article was provided to inform patients and providers so they can make informed decisions on this issue, since they felt patients were unaware of the dangers associated with IV treatments for Lyme disease–it is for the good of the patient.
See LDA’s Response on the issue: Click here
MMWR article link to complete article https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6623a3.htm?s_cid=mm66 23a3_e Alert to Patients: Act Now! CDC Limiting Your Treatment Options
All: Share with your social media! The Lyme Disease Association, Inc. is asking all Lyme patients and their families and friends to send a response to the Washington Post. Tell them in your own words how outraged you are that your treatment options are being cut off, that the Post did nothing to check with the stakeholders of the disease, patients, treating physicians, etc., and how this will affect your health/life. Stick to the topic of the article for your response please. For more details go to https://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/news/1736-cdc-shuts-off -all-prolonged-antibiotic-or-immunoglobulin-therapy-for-lyme- patients and https://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/blog/1737-who-controls- fake-lyme-disease-news
Go to Washington Post link below, click on comments and post your comment. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/06/ 15/dangerous-unproven-treatments-for-chronic-lyme-disease- cause-are-on-the-rise/?utm_term=.b3638309bf25 LDA Alert to Lyme/TBD Researchers: Apply for $$ now through CDMRP
The Lyme Disease Association (LDA) is alerting you to the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) Program Announcement for FY 2017 CDMRP research grant submissions. The Lyme Disease Association is providing the link to the CDMRP Tick-Borne Disease Research Program. All questions should be addressed to the CDMRP. The FY17 TBDRP Program Announcements can be found here http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/tbdrp
Click here for a list of the FY16 TBD awards.
NJ Legislature Observes May Lyme Awareness & Salutes LDA T h i s
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J o i n t Resolution joins one the LDA received from NJ Gov. Chris Christie proclaiming May 2017 Lyme Disease
Awareness Month, and one passed by the Legislature in 2008 recognizing each May as such. (L to R)
Assemblyman Sean Kean, LDA Pres. Pat Smith, Assemblyman Dave RibleWall, NJ—Almost 400,000 cases of Lyme disease occur in the US annually, something recognized by Assemblymen David Rible and Sean Kean (R-30) who on May 19 presented the Lyme Disease Association, Inc. (LDA) President, Pat Smith, Wall Township, with a Joint Legislative Resolution from the NJ Senate and General Assembly introduced by them and Senator Robert Singer (R-30). In part, it states: “…Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: That this Legislature hereby joins in the observance of Lyme Disease Awareness month during May 2017, salutes the Lyme Disease Association Inc. for its outstanding dedication and commitment, and urges all New Jerseyans to learn the prevention methods and techniques utilized in the removal of ticks;…”
According to LDA President Pat Smith: “It is important that through the efforts of Assemblymen Rible and Kean, and Senator Singer, the State Legislature of NJ recognizes the significance of Lyme disease− a State which ranks 2nd nationwide with 48,000 cases in 2015 alone, and Monmouth and Ocean Counties which rank 2nd and 5th in the State in case numbers, respectively. Despite the numbers, the public, and even some physicians, are not only unaware of the risks, especially to children ages 5-14, who are at the highest risk of acquiring Lyme, but also of the importance of proper, timely tick removal.”
Ticks should be removed immediately, as tick-borne diseases, including Lyme, can be transmitted in hours and sometimes, as with Powassan virus, in minutes. Proper removal means grasping with pointed tweezers as close to the head end of the tick as possible and pulling the tick straight out. Do not twist the tick, do not squeeze the body of the tick, do not put any substance onto the tick. Doing any of those things can cause the tick to regurgitate whatever organisms it has inside into you, greatly increasing the risk of infection. Put antiseptic on the bite site, wash your hands, and do not touch the tick. For tick disposal, wrap the tick in tape. To save the tick for testing, put it into a sealable plastic bag. Call your physician. L
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i th in typical tick habitatThe LDA has worked with Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) for 25 years, raising awareness, passing legislation, securing funds to help stop the spread of Lyme and other tick- borne diseases (TBD). Mr. Smith Co-Chairs the US House Lyme Disease Caucus in Washington, DC. His comments on the Resolution follow.
“I commend Assemblymen Dave Rible and Sean Kean for their leadership on this much needed legislation—which empowers people to mitigate their risk and get a quick and accurate diagnosis if infected. Lyme disease can no longer be ignored—the time to act is now,” said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). “We are all grateful to Lyme Disease Association President Pat Smith for her tireless efforts to ensure that local and federal officials—as well as the medical community—more effectively combat Lyme disease.”
The public also needs to recognize that one tick bite from the blacklegged/deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) can cause more than one disease, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, bartonelliosis, tick paralysis, and Powassan virus. Powassan does not occur frequently, but case numbers are on the rise. It is dangerous, since there is no treatment except palliative care, it has a 10-15% fatality rate, and 50% of those who recover are left with neurologic damage.
It is also very important to note that other ticks in NJ, particularly the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), transmit a number of diseases. The lone star transmits diseases including STARI, a Lyme like illness; ehrlichiosis; and tick paralysis, a paralysis that begins at the feet and moves upward and can only be stopped by removal of the attached tick. The lone star tick bite can cause a dangerous allergy to red meat, which can cause anaphylactic shock, and some physicians may not be aware of a tick bite as the cause. The American dog tick transmits diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and also tick paralysis. Any tick bite needs to be taken seriously.
The LDA’s website, www.LymeDiseaseAssociation.org, has more information on tick removal, symptoms of tick-borne diseases, and a free downloadable .pdf of its LymeR Primer and Tick Identification Card and on ordering of LDA brochures in quantity for cost of postage, and much more information on Lyme disease and other TBD.
May Declared Lyme Disease Awareness Month See if your state has joined in May Lyme Awareness & Read the state proclamations.
States and counties throughout the US have proclaimed May Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Many states and counties have taken steps to raise awareness regarding Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Declaring “May Lyme Awareness Month” is one move to help remind people spring is here, ticks are out, prevention & proper education are your best tools to staying healthy.
Proclamations are issued by governors and resolutions are adopted by the legislature. The LDA salutes and thanks all the governors, legislators, Lyme groups, and advocates who have helped raise awareness throughout the year. Your efforts make a difference!
We thank our neighbors to the North for joining in the efforts to prevent the spread of Lyme.
Please click on your state to see what has been done.
Alabama Michigan Canada – Georgia Oregon Halifax Cnty
Canada – Pennsylvania Arkansas Maine Minnesota Wolfville
Cnty Maryland New Jersey Colorado Wisconsin
Massachusetts Delaware New York
Lyme Disease Association
(Click picture for pdf)
Alabama
(click picture for pdf)
Arkansas (clic k pictu re for pdf)
Colorado
(click picture for pdf
Governor John Hickenlooper grants COTBDAA’s request for proclamation….
Buena Vista Colorado Board of Trustee Meeting Proclamation for May Lyme Awareness Month (First item on agenda) May 11, 2017
Delaware
House Concurrent Resolution
Viewable online Or click here for pdf of certificate
Article: May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month (Town of Henolopen Acres) D e l a w a r e S p e a k e r o f House Pete Schwartzkopf, Marian Eastman and other Lyme disease advocates
Georgia (click picture for pdf)
Maine (click picture for pdf)
Maryland ( c l i c k p i c t u r e f o r p d f )
Massachusetts
(click picture for pdf)
Michigan
(click picture for pdf)http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7 -277-57577_59874-410773–,00.html
New Jersey (click picture for pdf)
Proclamation on the left is from the Governor
( c l i c k p i c t u r e f o r p d f )
Joint resolution from the General Assembly 2017, Also saluting the work on the Lyme Disease Association
May 30, 2008: Joint Resolution designating the month of May as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month.”
Link above is from the NJ state legislature declaring every May Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
( L t o R ) A s s e m b l y m a n S e an Kean, LDA Pres. Pat Smith, Assemblyman Dave Rible
New York
NYS Senate and Assembly Pass Resolutions Declaring May ‘Lyme Disease Awareness Month’
Erie County Dutchess County
(click pictures for pdf’s)
Erie County Legislature declares May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Oregon
(click picture for pdf)
Pennsylvania
(Click pictures for pdf’s)
Governors Proclamation Chester County Proclamation
PA Senate Resolution (Pg 1 and 2) Click here for online version
( L t o R ) B o b S e r i n o ; P a t S m i t h , P r e s i d e nt, LDA ;Doug Fearn, President, LDA of Southeastern PA
Wisconsin
(click picture for pdf)
2017 Senate Joint Resolution 45 / 2017 Assembly Joint Resolution 41
Madison Area Lyme Support Group: May is Lyme Awareness Month in Wisonsin since 2004
Canada, Nova Scotia – Halifax County
(click picture for pdf)
Canada, Nova Scotia – Wolfville County (click picture for pdf)
https://wolfville.ca/proclamation-lyme-disease-awareness-month -may-2017.html
House Lyme Caucus: Is Your Rep Signed on? Why Not?
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. The Lyme Disease Association says Let’s get our Representatives in the US House of Representatives to sign up for the House Lyme Caucus. It is a bi-partisan group working together in Congress to take action on Lyme & tick-borne diseases. Under the leadership of Congressmen Chris Smith (NJ) and co-chair Colin Peterson (MN), it has initiated letters and actions to benefit Lyme patients, such as the inclusion of the monies for Lyme & tick-borne diseases into the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) and language and Lyme monies into Appropriations over the years and initiated favorable legislation. Additionally, it has queried government agencies over policies not favorable to patients. This has reminded the agencies that someone is looking over their shoulder. Many meetings have been held and educational sessions in DC for
Congress.Pat Smith, President & Rich Smith, Vice President of the LDA met in Wall, NJ, with
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C hair of the House Lyme Caucus, to discuss what actions can be taken in DC to help those with Lyme and to stop the spread of Lyme & other tick-borne diseases, 4/19/2017
If your US Representative or any US Representative who serves the state your group serves is not on the list below, contact him/her immediately and ask why not. Remind them the Lyme disease tick is now found in 50% of US counties and there were almost 400,000 cases in 2015. There are about 20 tick-borne diseases now in the U.S. being spread by at least 8 different ticks, not just the blacklegged/deer tick. Send them to the newly revised Lyme Disease Association LymeR Primer information brochure where they can read about them. Ask them what they have done about this emerging epidemic of tick-borne diseases where 30% of reported cases of Lyme are children ages 0-19.
Give them a simple task: Sign-on today to the House Lyme caucus! To sign on they can write: [email protected], Rep. C.Smith office OR [email protected], Rep. Peterson office
Tell your Representative you will be calling back in a week to see if he/she signed up. Then do so! We will add new names as we receive them from the Caucus.
Click here to find your Representative
List of Current House Lyme Disease Caucus Signons in green are based on our efforts to get new signons. Thanks Lyme community, keep calling other congressmen to get them on board.
Christopher H. Smith (NJ-4) Co-Chair Collin C. Peterson (MN-7) Co-Chair Lou Barletta (PA-11) Michael E. Capuano (MA-7) Steve Cohen (TN-9) Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11) Barbara Comstock (VA-10) Ryan Costello (PA-6) Joe Courtney (CT-2) Diana DeGette (CO-1) Dan Donovan (NY-11) John Faso (NY-19) Vicky Hartzler (DC) Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) William R. Keating (MA-9) Joseph P. Kennedy III (MA-4) Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8) Zoe Lofgren (CA-19) Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) Congressman Tom Marino (PA-10) James P. Mc Govern (MA-2) Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-6) Scott Peters (CA-52) Chellie Pingree (ME-1) Mark Pocan (WI-2) Bill Posey (FL-8) Tom Reed (NY-23) Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) Glenn Thompson (PA-5) Paul Tonko (NY-20) Robert J. Wittman (VA-1)
More about the Caucus
The bipartisan Congressional Lyme Disease Task Force, co- chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), is dedicated to educating Members of Congress and staff about Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, as well as advancing initiatives that are designed to help the estimated 400,000 Americans who develop Lyme disease each year and all of those living with the disease.
As co-chairs of the bipartisan Task Force, Rep. Smith and Rep. Peterson lead annual appropriations requests in support of Lyme disease research through the Department of Health and Human Services and for research funding at the Department of Defense. In 2015, the caucus secured for the first time ever, $5 million in funding in the House Appropriations Committee annual military spending legislation, which was adopted in the Fiscal Year 2016 funding bill which was signed into law, and will provide resources for Lyme disease research through DOD’s innovative, high-risk, high-reward program.
Recently, the caucus secured another major win for Lyme disease. In December of 2016, the United States House of Representatives passed, and former-President Obama signed, the 21st Century Cures Act. The Cures Act included language – similar to a bill that Rep. Smith introduced previously – which created the Interagency Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. Specifically, Working Group comprised of federal and non-federal members tasked with reporting to Congress on scientific advances, research questions, surveillance activities and emerging strains in species of pathogenic organisms.