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LymeNet Fundraiser

The non-profit Lyme Disease Network, operates entirely on individual donations and is responsible for the LymeNet series of services available on the Internet since 1994. It's absolutely necessary that we support LymeNet to continue educating the public about the prevention and treatment of Lyme and other tick borne diseases.

Scientists identify biomarkers that could help diagnose Lyme disease

November 28, 2022. Researchers say they've identified a set of biomarkers that could make early diagnosis of Lyme disease easier, a possible first step for more effectively treating the estimated 476,000 people diagnosed with, and treated for, the tick-borne illness every year in the United States.

Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease and Tickborne Disease dashboard

September 2, 2022. An initiative led by the Johns Hopkins Spatial Science for Public Health Center, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Medicine Lyme Disease Research Center and the Johns Hopkins Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute.

How coronavirus puts Lyme disease patients at risk, according to an expert

May 7, 2020. Though anyone can develop a COVID-19 infection if they are exposed to the novel coronavirus, health officials have continued to stress that some groups of people — namely those who are older or have underlying health issues — are particularly at risk for severe infection should they fall ill. Included in that group are Lyme disease patients, Dr. Raphael Kellman, founder of Kellman Wellness Center, told Fox News.

Amid Covid-19 hunt, Pfizer adds Lyme disease vaccine in $308M deal with Valneva

April 30, 2020. In the midst of their $500 million program to build a Covid-19 vaccine with BioNTech, Pfizer has announced a sizable deal to commercialize a vaccine for a far different disease. Pfizer and Valneva have agreed to an up-to $308 million deal on the French biotech’s Lyme disease vaccine.

Lyme Study Uses Drug Discovery Methods That Have Fueled Cancer Breakthroughs

December 13, 2017. Antibiotics are currently the only treatments available for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, but researchers at Duke Health are working to expand the medical toolkit by identifying vulnerable areas of disease-causing bacteria that could lead to innovative therapies.

New test differentiates between Lyme disease, similar illness

August 16, 2017. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States, but it can be confused with similar conditions, including Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI). A team of researchers led by Colorado State University has identified a way to distinguish Lyme disease from similar conditions, according to a new study published Aug. 16 in Science Translational Medicine.

Controlling the Lyme Disease epidemic

April 7, 2017. Dr. Felicia Keesing, Associate Professor of Biology at Bard College explains why the complicated species interactions between ticks, mice, deer and humans make Lyme disease an especially challenging crisis to control. She is joined by Dr. John Aucott, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of the Lyme Disease Research Center at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine who discusses his work studying the way Lyme disease affects people.

$10M CDC grant funds center to fight vector-borne diseases

February 27, 2017. Managing mosquito-borne viruses, such as West Nile, Dengue, Zika and tick-borne Lyme disease have been a challenge due to lack of resources, knowledge and trained expertise.

To better understand, prevent and treat diseases passed from insects to people, the Cornell-led Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases will launch later this month, thanks to a $10 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

10 Essential Facts About Lyme Disease

April 26, 2016. Ticks are most active from April to September, which means now is prime time for bites that can cause Lyme disease.

Every year, U.S. state health departments report about 30,000 cases of Lyme disease to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the CDC says the true number of cases in the United States could be ten times higher.

Lyme Disease Has Surged 320% in America

July 15, 2015. Lyme disease is not only becoming more rampant in its normal hotspot of the northeast United States, it's spreading across the country, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns.

"Over time, the number of counties identified as having high incidence of Lyme disease in the northeastern states increased more than 320 percent," researchers write in the report. They also note that the disease is appearing in states where its never been recorded before.

Johns Hopkins launches first U.S. center to study Lyme disease

May 26, 2015. Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center will explore causes, cures for ailment that afflicts 300,000, costs $1.3 billion annually to treat

Fundamental research into the causes and cures of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome now has its first home base at a major U.S. medical research center with the launch of the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center earlier this month.

The center, supported by a major gift from the Lyme Disease Research Foundation, plans an ambitious research program targeting this increasingly common disease, which costs the U.S. economy up to $1.3 billion per year in treatment costs alone.

Biofilms: the Culprit in Chronic Lyme

Could pond scum be causing your chronic Lyme symptoms?

You may be surprised at the answer.

Pond scum--that thin layer of scum that grows on rocks and surface waters--is actually caused by bacteria that form "biofilms". Biofilms are the topic of a great deal of recent unpublicized scientific research. Even more recent research suggests that biofilms might help explain why Lyme disease and other cryptic diseases are so difficult to cure.

Canadian Senate Unanimously Passes Elizabeth May's Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act

OTTOWA, December 12, 2014. Elizabeth May's Private Member's Bill, C-442, the Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act was passed unanimously at third reading by the Senate the morning of Friday, December 12. The bill now awaits Royal Assent by the Governor General for it to become law.

First introduced in June 2012, Bill C-442 was passed unanimously with multi-partisan support in the House of Commons in June 2014. It will establish a framework for collaboration between the federal, provincial and territorial Health Ministers, representatives of the medical community, and patients. groups to promote greater awareness and prevention of Lyme disease, to address the challenges of timely diagnosis and treatment, and to push for further research.

See details of the bill here.

CanLyme submits letter in support of private members Bill C-442, An Act respecting a National Lyme Disease Strategy.

February 18, 2014. This enactment requires the Minister of Health to convene a conference with the provincial and territorial ministers responsible for health and with representatives of the medical community and patients. groups for the purpose of developing a national strategy to address the challenges of the recognition and timely diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. It also authorizes the Minister of Finance to establish guidelines in respect of the allocation of funding to provincial and territorial governments that have enacted legislation to implement that strategy.

New Lebanon mother and daughter seek support for Lyme disease bill on Capitol Hill

Chatham Courier

WASHINGTON, DC, January 1, 2014. It may be cold outside, but that doesn't mean ticks disappear. In fact, deer ticks are continually searching for hosts through the winter. Meanwhile, Karla and Victoria Lehtonen of New Lebanon continue to seek support for Lyme disease detection, treatment and prevention. On Dec. 4 at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., they got to tell their story (which they shared with the Courier two years ago).

The forum was held by the Tick-Borne Disease Alliance (TBDA) "in support of legislation designed to combat the alarming growth of the tick-borne illness across the United States," according to a press release.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Lyme Disease Explosion Starts in Spring

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2001. Spring is here, and so is tick season across America and in many foreign countries. Being bitten by an infected tick can result in debilitating, sometimes deadly, Lyme disease, military and civilian experts warn.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can advance from early flu-like symptoms to painful and permanent damage to the joints, according to the National Centers for Disease Control. The disease can also affect the nervous system, causing numbness, pain, stiff neck and severe headache or muscle weakness in the face or limbs. Occasionally, heart irregularities occur.

The first stage of the disease begins three to 31 days after the tick bites. Symptoms can include fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain or swollen lymph nodes.

Announcement from the Lyme Rights group

Wednesday, May 7th from 11am to 2pm, Lyme Rights will amass a patient presence in front of the office of Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ), House Health Subcommittee Chair, to let him know HR 741, the Lyme bill, needs to be put on that committee agenda now. Go to LymeRights.org for more information. [06-May-2008]

LDA has been accepted as partner in the Environmental Protection Agency's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP)

The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) is a voluntary program that forms partnerships to reduce the potential health and environmental risks associated with pests and pesticide use and to implement pollution prevention strategies. Although LDA does not recommend or endorse products, many individuals choose to use repellents against ticks. The informed actions of pesticide users help reduce risk to people and the environment. LDA will work with PESP to develop a strategy which will be forthcoming on this site. [27-Oct-2007]

New LDA Partner: On the ice, his focus is stopping hockey pucks; off the ice, his focus is stopping Lyme disease

Nolan Schaefer, a goal tender recently acquired by the Minnesota Wild hockey franchise is partnering with the Lyme Disease Association and also the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation to raise awareness about Lyme and funds for Lyme disease research. [27-Oct-2007]

Federal Lyme Bill HR 741: Congressman Smith helped us by introducing the Lyme bill. Let's help him to get this bill passed!

Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education & Research Act of 2007

This bill was introduced into the US House of Representatives on January 31, 2007 by Congressman Christopher H. Smith (NJ). The bill is identical to last year's House bill (HR 3427) except for updated dates in the bill. We need your help now. Click on the link to get information on the Smith/Stupak bill, (history, co-sponsors, who to contact). Lyme disease desperately needs the $100 million over 5 years that this bill provides for research, physician education, prevention, and task force formation. [18-Feb-2007]

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