Hospital News

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States. There are about 20,000 new cases reported yearly. Most of the reported cases of Lyme disease in Rhode Island are from South County.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria, whose host is the deer tick. These ticks live in areas with tall grasses or thick brush such as trails, forests, edges of yards, and around stone walls.

The months of June to September carry the highest risk of acquiring Lyme disease, although you can get it in the early spring and late fall as well. There is no vaccine but, fortunately, Lyme disease can be avoided by following a few simple steps.

Prevention:

Preventions is the key to avoiding Lyme disease. Observe these simple guidelines:

1. Try to avoid walking in tall grasses and brushy areas as much as possible. Keep your grass cut short throughout the summer.
2. If you must be in areas of potential tick exposure, wear protective clothing (long pants and shirts) and tuck pants into your socks or boots.
3. Be sure to examine yourself and your children within 24 hours of potential exposure to ticks. Also check your pets for ticks on a daily basis.

More Tick Tips

Wear clothing that's pretreated with Permethrin or buy the repellent and spray it on your clothing. Spray shoes and socks, especially since studies show that you're 70 times less likely to be bitten by a tick if you do. Ticks latch on to the lower part of the leg and climb upward before biting.

Spray insecticide to the perimeter of your yard, namely shady areas and perennial beds. No treatment is needed for open, sunny, grassy areas.

Pets should be groomed after going outside to remove ticks and treated with tick prevention products.

Know that deer ticks are much smaller than common dog ticks. They are about the size of a poppy seed.

For detailed information, go to http://www.tickencounter.org/.

You can find additonal Information on Lyme Disease here:

www.schospital.com/healthinfo.cfm?enewsinfo=1/i25.shtml

www.ri.gov/search/?q=lyme+disease

www.aldf.com/

To have a tick tested: Go to http://www.imugen.com/ for details.

South County Hospital Lyme Disease Clinic

South County Hospital has a Lyme Disease Clinic, where comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, Ehrilichiosis and other tick-borne diseases is provided.

Appointments will be by physician referral only and for adult patients only.  (If you do not have a primary care physician, and would like to find one, call the Find A Doctor line at 783-5544.)

The Clinic is open Fridays only, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, and from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  To make an appointment, call 788-1486 (the appointment line is staffed Mon. - Fri., 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.). 

Drs. Frederic Silverblatt and Jeffrey Bandola staff the clinic, along with the Hospital's Infection Prevention andControl department, which is headed by Lee Ann Quinn.

NOTE TO PATIENTS: Lyme disease does not result in the same symptoms in every person, and many similar symptoms can occur with other diseases as well.  If you believe you may have Lyme disease, it is important that you consult with your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis.