Lehigh Valley Lyme Disease Support Group rallies

The Lehigh Valley Lyme Disease Support Group is calling its members to action.

Julia Wagner, chairwoman of LymeActionPa, has informed members that the state House is holding a hearing on House Bill 272 (the Lyme and Related Tick-Borne disease Education, Prevention and Treatment Act) on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 10am in Harrisburg.  

House Bill 272 directs the Department of Health to establish a task force to address the issues surrounding Lyme disease.

The task force would make and implement recommendations regarding the gaps in education, prevention and surveillance of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in the Commonwealth.

The bill also would ensure that physicians could apply the two different standards of care that exist today for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

The bill ensures that insurance companies would pay for the treatment the physician prescribes, putting medical decisions back in the hands of physicians and patients where they should be made.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria carried by certain ticks. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with Lyme disease.

You can get the disease if you are bitten by an infected tick. Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in the town of Old Lyme, Conn., in 1975.

Cases have now been reported in most parts of the United States. Lyme disease is usually seen during the late spring, summer and early fall.

Risk factors for Lyme disease are: activities like gardening, hunting or hiking that increase tick exposure; having a pet, and walking in high grass. In most cases, a tick must be on your body for 48 hours to spread the bacteria to your blood.

Symptoms include: body-wide itching, chills, fever, general ill feeling, headache, lightheadedness or fainting, muscle pain and a stiff neck. There may be a "bull's-eye" rash -- a flat or slightly raised red spot at the site of the tick bite. Often there is a clear area in the center. It can be larger than 1-3 inches wide.

Judy Greco, a member of the Lehigh Valley Lyme Disease Support Group, said members can:

 * Show up if you can-- details will be at:  www.lymeactionpa.com.

 * Submit written testimony by Aug. 30; please copy lymeactionpa@gmail.com

* If you can't show up, call your representative and Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, 18th District (lower Bucks), the chairman of the Human Services Committee that has this bill, around or on the day of the hearing. 215-750-1017 or 717-783-7319.

 * Call your area representatives.

All representatives and contact information are on the House website, www.house.state.pa.us