Eastern Kentucky University Encompass Honors Theses Student Scholarship Fall 11-27-2020 Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area Rachel L. Carden OTS Eastern Kentucky University,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://encompass.eku.edu/honors_theses Recommended Citation Carden, Rachel L. OTS, "Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area" (2020). Honors Theses. 793. https://encompass.eku.edu/honors_theses/793 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Encompass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Encompass. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. i EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area Honors Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of HON 420 Fall 2020 By Rachel Lyn Carden Mentor Dr. Marcia Pierce Biological Sciences ii Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area Rachel Lyn Carden Dr. Marcia Pierce, Biological Sciences ABSTRACT Lyme Disease is the fastest-growing vector-borne illness in the United States – including in low-endemic states, such as Kentucky; given Kentucky’s low Lyme disease incidence in prior decades, it has since experienced an increase of cases despite a lack of discussion on the condition and its implications on patient health and wellbeing. To measure current levels of knowledge and awareness of Lyme disease in Kentucky residents, a survey was distributed to Microbiology and Honors Program students at Eastern Kentucky University, and its results were discussed.