Rhode Island Lyme Resolution Passed by Senate

Rhode Island Lyme Resolution
Passed by Senate

The RI Resolution S0711      introduced by Senator Stephen
Archambault (RI 22-D), which was amended on the floor,
requests the RI Department of Health to increase public
awareness of Lyme activities that expose people to ticks,
educate on symptoms of Lyme and importance of early detection,
and to update physician protocols with regard to early
detection and treatment.

The resolution notes that delayed treatment can lead to more
severe and persistent symptoms that are more difficult to
treat. It points out Chapter 37.5 of title 5 provides for
insurance coverage for the treatment of Lyme disease. This is
in reference to a law that the Lyme Disease Association Inc.
worked on in Rhode Island with the newly formed Lyme Disease
Association Rhode Island Chapter to achieve its passage in
2004.

No mention was made of the law the Lyme Disease Association
and Rhode Island      advocates had gotten passed in 2002
preventing the RI Medical Board from prosecuting physicians
for long term treatment.

The newly passed Resolution is now in effect.

2021- S0711 as amended (PDF)

https://legiscan.com/RI/text/S0711/2021

See info on steps in passage of Resolution

https://legiscan.com/RI/bill/S0711/2021

Maryland Department of Health
Warns Doctors About Lyme
In a letter to physicians, the Maryland
Department of Health (MDH) warns doctors to
pay attention to Lyme which is the most
frequently diagnosed tick-borne disease
(TBD) in Maryland residents (1400 cases
2019). The MDH also cautions them to report
other TBDs, which it specifically names. The
letter also points out the similarities of
Lyme symptoms to COVID 19 symptoms and
reminds providers of obligation to report
the required TBDs.

Tick bite prevention tips are offered, and a Maryland Tick
Identification       Service     is    provided     in     the
letter. https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/OIDEOR/CZVBD/Pages/Ti
ck-Identification.aspx

Read full letter here

Read more LDA articles on Maryland here

Current Lyme Reporting in
Non-Endemic   States Needs
Tick-Bite Reporting
Data from a survey of respondents with
self-reported tick bite encounters who
concurrently reported a clinical or
serological    Lyme   disease    (LD)
diagnosis from non-endemic states for
Lyme disease was published in the
journal Healthcare, June 21, 2021.
Focusing on Texas, which due to large size, diverse climate,
and ecological conditions, reflects environments that promote
ticks, the scientists compared data from the self-reported LD
patients with county-level confirmed cases of LD from the
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and from
serological canine reports. CDC has characterized states as
low-incidence or non-endemic for Lyme, including Texas.

The findings indicated that “tick bite reports accurately
overlapped with the geographic patterns of those patients
previously known to be CDC-positive for serological LD and
with canine-positive tests for Borrelia burgdorferi,
anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis, as well as within neighboring
counties and ecological regions. LD patient-reported tick bite
encounters, corrected for population density, also accurately
aligned with official CDC county hot-spots.”

Human LD cases that meet CDC surveillance criteria are
compiled and reported. However, no agency or organization
tracks LD cases from patients who do not meet CDC criteria.
The CDC publishes LD cases by county, but the data is not
always captured by county of exposure. Some cases may have
been acquired during travel and not locally acquired in the
county of diagnosis.

Some patients diagnosed with LD will have co-infections from
other tick-borne diseases (TBDs) — “…the CDC and many states
do not provide human TBD data at the county level for use in
research or analysis.”    The lack of this data available,
coupled with a difficult-to-diagnose disease such as LD
underscore the importance of using patient self-reported
disease and official counts of disease as “epidemiological
tools when disease can be linked to an event, such as a tick
bite,” even though these methods are not widely used methods
of surveillance.

“Tick-Borne Surveillance Patterns in Perceived Non-Endemic
Geographic Areas: Human Tick Encounters and Disease Outcomes”
by Sarah P. Maxwell, Connie L. McNeely, Kevin Thomas, and
Chris Brooks indicates the following, “A finding of self-
reported LD cases (via clinical or serological diagnosis),
supported by known tick bites in CDC-positive ecological
regions (eco-regions), provides an indicator that patient-
reported LD and CDC-confirmed cases are strongly tied. This
study uses county level, human, canine, and ecological data,
providing an investigative snapshot of geographic overlap in
Texas.”

Read full article here

More information on Diagnosis by Geography here (LDA website)

Read CDC Lyme Surveillance Criteria here

Congressman Gottheimer: Lyme
Press Conference on Fed.
Leg.– LDA Pres. Speaks

                                  Rep. Josh Gottheimer & Pat
                                  Smith, LDA President at
                                  Press Conference, West
                                  Milford, NJ

Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5-D) held a press conference
to discuss Lyme disease and three bi-partisan bills currently
introduced into the House of Representatives. He spoke about
the seriousness of the disease in NJ and in his district and
of the need for funds to help with diagnostics and new
treatments and help for the patients suffering from persistent
symptoms.

LDA President Pat Smith was asked to speak at the press
conference on June 10, 2021 in West Milford, NJ, and discussed
her personal family involvement with Lyme and tick-borne
disease and how the LDA has been active in Washington fighting
for help for patients which includes the establishment of the
HHS Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, where she served for
four years, and the recent introduction of the Children
Inflicted by Lyme Disabilities Act, CHILD Act 2021 (HR 3636),
for which LDA initiated and helped in development of the
language.

The CHILD Act 2021 was introduced in the house by Lyme Caucus
Co-chair Congressman Christopher Smith (NJ-4-R) and co-

sponsored by Congressman Gottheimer and Congressmen Henry
Cuellar (TX-28-D), Bill Posey (FL-8-R), and Brian Fitzpatrick
(PA-1-R).    The purpose of the bill is “To amend the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA to recognize
more clearly that Lyme disease can cause disabilities that
affect the education of children and to enhance educational
services and related services for children with Lyme disease
and other tick-borne diseases and for other purposes.”
Children can have manifestations including cognitive
impairment, mental confusion, memory loss, headaches,
difficulty concentrating, speech difficulty, visual and
hearing problems, dizziness, mood swings, outbursts,
depression, sleep disturbance, OCD, and seizure activity, all
of which affect their educational experience. Read LDA article
on the Bill

                                Patients and family members &
                                advocates with Pat Smith,
                                LDA, at the Press Conference

Congressman Gottheimer also co-sponsored HR3637, introduced by
Smith, authorizing HHS to be able to launch prize competitions
for research. HHS and the Alexandra and Stephen Cohen
Foundation have formed a public private partnership, LymeX,
which will host competitions. The idea is based on the
successful KidneyX program. The LDA is on the webinars group
for LymeX working to develop more trust with government and
more ways to implement strategies for new research.

Congressman Gottheimer also co-sponsored The Stamp Out Lyme
Act introduced by Antonio Delgatto (NY-19-D) which would
provide a stamp to benefit Lyme research. The bill has 11 co-

sponsors including Smith. The LDA worked on earlier versions
of this bill in a prior Congress.

“Lyme disease can be brutally debilitating, hard to detect and
treat, and cause real long-term health issues. It’s a problem
that we must try to solve,” said Congressman Josh
Gottheimer. “The federal action I’m announcing today will
boost investment for Lyme disease research, incentivize the
development of new treatments, and amend federal law to
accommodate the health impairments that can be caused by Lyme
disease in children, so they can receive the specialized
education and care they need.”

Pat   Smith   at
Podium.    Photo
Credit:   Doreen
Edwards,    Tick
Squad

“It is imperative that we get help for the thousands of sick
Lyme patients — 29% are children. We need Congress to act
quickly to not only provide money but to ensure the monies are
actually being used to help Lyme and tick-borne disease
patients by providing cutting edge diagnostics and treatment
therapies for the 20+% who remain sick after a short course of
antibiotics. I thank Congressman Gottheimer and the House Lyme
Disease Caucus for their continued efforts in this area,” said
Pat Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association Inc.

Several Lyme patients and family members spoke about their
struggle with Lyme disease. Advocate Dorreen Edwards from Tick
Squad in Sussex County spoke on the need to provide more
education for schools and for health care providers. LDA
partnered with the Tick Squad in 2019 to present a Lyme
conference at Sussex County Community College in 2019. Read
LDA article on Conference

Terry Duffy, Commissioner, Board of County Commissioners,
County of Passaic and Don Weise, New York – New Jersey Trail
Conference, also spoke on the issues surrounding Lyme disease.

Watch video of entire press conference on facebook.

Read Press Release on Rep. Gottheimer’s website: Gottheimer
Announces Federal Action to Combat the Uptick in Ticks & Lyme
Disease in New Jersey

Read and Watch video: “Officials taking action to fight uptick
in ticks and Lyme disease in New Jersey” (abc7ny.com 6/10/21)

May, Lyme Disease Awareness
Month
HELP US! This page is in progress — a full list of any
resolutions submitted will be posted at the end of May with
your help. Please contact your state, county or local
governing body and ask them to pass a May resolution to spread
the word about Lyme & tick-borne diseases. Check on your

governing body website to see if there is a place listed to
submit a request.

Click    here    to    submit    your    state    or    county
proclamation/resolution to LDA for inclusion on this page.

2021 May Lyme Awareness Proclamations

Many states and counties take steps to raise awareness
regarding Lyme and tick-borne diseases during May. Declaring
“May Lyme Awareness Month” is one move to help remind people
spring is here, ticks are out, prevention & proper education
are your best tools to staying healthy.

Proclamations are issued by governors and resolutions are
adopted by the legislature. The LDA salutes and thanks all the
governors, legislators, Lyme groups, and advocates who help
raise awareness throughout the year. Your efforts make a
difference!

See if your state has joined in May Lyme Awareness & Read the
state proclamations.

New Jersey

Texas

Colorado

Click images for pdf versions

NJ Governor Proclamation – May 2021 as TBD Awareness Month

State of NJ Joint Resolution Occurring Each Year

Resolution above is from the NJ state legislature declaring every May Lyme Disease
Awareness Month.

City of Richardson, Texas Proclamation Signed by the Mayor

Colorado Proclamation Signed by the Governor

Submit 2021 May Awareness
Proclamations / Resolutions
States and counties throughout the US
have proclaimed May Lyme Disease
Awareness Month.

Many states and counties have taken steps to raise awareness
regarding Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Declaring “May Lyme
Awareness Month” is one move to help remind people spring is
here, ticks are out, prevention & proper education are your
best tools to staying healthy.

Proclamations are issued by governors and resolutions are

adopted by the legislature. The LDA salutes and thanks all the
governors, legislators, Lyme groups, and advocates who have
helped raise awareness throughout the year.

Your efforts make a difference!

Please submit an image of your state or county
proclamation/resolution so we can include it on our annual
list.

Any questions, email jennifer@lymediseaseassociation.org

Click here for 2021 list (in progress)

Click here for 2018 list

2021 May Awareness Proclamations

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U of Maine                   Seeks           Citizen
Scientists
As a follow-up to its 2020 report from
its 2020 citizen science project, the
Maine Forest Tick Survey at the
University of Maine is recruiting
forest landowners in nine southern and
coastal Maine counties to begin
sampling for ticks in July 2021 when
tick nymphs become active. The 2020
project collected 1643 ticks, and 445
of those blacklegged nymphs were tested
for pathogens. 25+% were carrying
Borrelia burgdorferi, 7% anaplasma
phagocytophilum, and 5% Babesia microti. Information on the
Survey     and   how    to    volunteer      can  be   found
https://umaine.edu/forestticksurvey/ or by contacting citizen
science coordinator elissa.ballman@maine.edu

For more information

Read full article here

Forest Tick Survey Here

Persistent Lyme Symptoms: A
Survey of RI patients
In a recent study conducted by
Vargas    et   al.,    patients
suffering from self reported
post-Lyme treatment symptoms at
the Lifespan Lyme Disease Center
in Rhode Island took part in
completing both a demographic
and medical survey, the Patient
Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-29
v2.0, and other short-form PROMIS measures of cognitive
function, sleep disturbance, and fatigue.

Findings from this sample of patients showed that this group
of patients reported more severe symptoms than the general
population as well as reporting higher than other clinical
sample groups including cancer patients and chronic pain
patients, and for symptoms of fatigue, women reported higher
than men.

Read the full text article here

Read more on persistent Lyme symptoms here.

Lyme Activities by State
The section contains articles of individual state activities
and multi state activities related to government actions or
patients’ or advocates’ action to legislate or educate. Click
on the picture of your state or click on USA for multistate
actions or information.

A-USA

California

             Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Kansas

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Minnesota

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Missouri Tick Study: Citizen
Tick Submissions Requested

Photo by J. Occi, PhD
                                   (cand.), Rutgers Univ.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and A.T. Still
University are partnering on a Missouri tick study. This two-
year research study is designed to better understand the
distribution and species of ticks as well as the pathogens
that they carry throughout Missouri. The study will run from
April 2021 through September 2022.

During that time, MDC and the University are asking for
citizens of Missouri to collect, save, and mail ticks that
they encounter to A.T. Still University. To learn more about
the research, submission directions, or to submit questions
online visit atsu.edu/ticks.

Read full MDC news release here.

For additional LDA articles on tick and tick-borne disease
studies/clinical trials visit here.

NOTE: The Lyme Disease Association, Inc.(LDA) thanks Lyme
Association of Greater Kansas City (LAGKC) for this
information. LAGKC is an affiliate partner of the LDA.