According to the Ohio State Medical Association, Lyme disease has been on the rise in Ohio for the last 5 years. In a YouTube Statement issued by the Ohio State Medical Association, Dr. Scott Stienecker, an Infectious Disease Specialist and Epidemiologist, states, “In the past 4-5 years we have seen an increase in the number of patients with Lyme Disease acquired in Ohio increase from 33 up to 119 last year.” Dr. Steineker also states, “We are literally under attack” because ticks carrying Lyme Disease and Ehrlichiosis are moving in from nearby states. “For the first time, we are really seeing these illnesses come into the state from multiple directions,” said Dr. Stienecker in Ohio Health, which is the official publication of the Ohio State Medical Association. In a memo from the Ohio Department of Health to Health Care Providers in Ohio, Department Director Dr. Mary DiOrio states, “We expect cases of Lyme disease to increase as the blacklegged tick continues to spread and become established in new areas. In addition to Lyme disease, the blacklegged tick is known to transmit two other diseases in Ohio: anaplasmosis and babesiosis.” The Columbus Medical News has placed the links below for Ohioans to be better prepared for tick-borne illness as it increases in Ohio.

Ohio State Medical Association Webpage on Tick Illnesses increasing in Ohio:

https://www.osma.org/lyme

Ohio Department of Health Webpage with tick-borne disease information:

https://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/bid/zdp/animals/ticks.aspx

Ohio Deparment of Health Memo about increasing tick-borne disease:

http://eriecohealthohio.org/downloads/lymediseasememo.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Webpage on tick-borne disease information:

http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

Photograph of Lyme disease “Bulls-eye” rash (also known as eythema migrans and  erythema chronicum migrans)  from Wikimedia Commons: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Library:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease#/media/File:Erythema_migrans_-_erythematous_rash_in_Lyme_disease_-_PHIL_9875.jpg