Lyme in Iowa
YES!! Lyme disease is in IOWA!! Iowa has confirmed Lyme
cases in most counties. Deer ticks and other tick-borne
disease causing ticks are prevalent throughout the state. Lyme disease is
the MOST common vector-borne disease in Iowa and the U.S.
Lyme disease is a Mandatory Reportable Disease in Iowa!
| Like most states, the incidence of Lyme disease and other tick borne
infections in Iowa has risen and is becoming of increasing concern.
Several areas in Iowa are now considered endemic, and cases have
been reported statewide. Iowa's bordering states of Minnesota,
Illinois, Nebraska, and Missouri have reported increases in the
numbers of cases.
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Myth:
"Iowans must have traveled to another state to acquire Lyme disease.
We don't have Lyme disease here."
Fact: Many Iowans with Lyme disease did not
travel out of state and contracted Lyme disease right in their back
yards, gardens, parks, golf courses, etc. Lyme disease
has been confirmed and reported in Iowa since the early 1980's.
Lyme disease IS endemic in Iowa and physicians and the public need
to be aware of it. Geographic Penetration and Rate of Spreading:
Research has proven that the bacterium that causes Lyme disease
has been in the U.S. for over 100 years. Lyme
disease accounts for 90% of vector-borne infections in the
U.S. From 1980 to 2005, 268,330 cases were
reported from 49 states. In 2005,
23,305 cases of Lyme disease were reported in the U.S. to the CDC.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that
reported numbers represent only 1/10th of actual cases.
A patient's county of residence does not accurately reflect their
total Lyme disease risk, since people travel, pets travel, and ticks
travel on migrating birds and animals. Infected ticks do not
know geographic boundaries and are present everywhere.
Incidence rates of Lyme disease cases in United States
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Top 20 States
by Highest Incidence Rates, reported cases, 2005 |
| 1.Delaware (Highest) |
6. New York |
11. Minnesota |
16. Iowa |
| 2. Connecticut |
7. Wisconsin |
12. Vermont |
17. DC |
| 3. New Jersey |
8. Maryland |
13. Rhode Island |
18. Illinois |
| 4. Massachusetts |
9. New Hampshire |
14. Virginia |
19. Alaska |
| 5. Pennsylvania |
10. Maine |
15. West Virginia |
20. Michigan |
* incidence rate=
reported LD cases per 100,000 population
Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Division
of Vector-Borne Diseases, 2006 |
Iowa Lyme Disease Facts
- By law, there are 5 tick-borne diseases that are required to
be reported by physicians and labs to the Iowa Dept. of Public
Health. These include Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis,
Tularemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Q-fever.
Unfortunately cases are diagnosed and treated and not reported
to the public health departments, leading people to believe tick
illnesses are not a public health issue.
- Patients with Lyme disease reside in every county in the
state of Iowa.
- Several 'Lyme' cluster areas have been identified with
higher incidence rates of human and tick infection. It is
known that the types of ticks infected with Bb have been found
throughout the state. Therefore, one cannot rule out risk
of infection due to place of residence.
- Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme,
has been scientifically confirmed in ticks in many areas of the
state through tick surveillance studies. These studies
rely on the public for tick submission, however, and infection
rates do not represent true incidence due to underreporting and
unequal tick submission and testing in several areas of the
state.
- In April 2007, Governor Chet Culver signed an official
proclamation declaring May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month in
Iowa.
- Many patients in Iowa are told by physicians that Lyme
disease is 'rare' in Iowa and that it is extremely unlikely they
could contract it in this state. Lyme disease is NOT a
simple, rare illness that is difficult to catch and easy to
cure.
- Unfortunately many Iowans have late stage, chronic Lyme
and have suffered for years because of misdiagnosis. Most
Iowans with chronic Lyme disease travel out of state for proper
diagnosis and adequate treatment.
2007 Iowa Lyme and Other Tick-borne Illness Statistics
Confirmed Tickborne Disease Cases Reported
to IDPH
Lyme Disease - 119
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - 16
Ehrlichiosis - 6 (Not Mandatory Reportable)
No. Lyme Disease Cases Compared to Other
Infectious Diseases in Iowa as reported by Iowa Dept. of Public
Health (2007)
Lyme Disease Confirmed & Reported - 119
West Nile Virus - 30
Hepatitis A - 49
Mumps - 27
Human Rabies - 0
Shigellosis - 109
Syphillis - 21
Tuberculosis - 43
Pertusis - 145
More Information:
Lyme Disease Surveillance Case Definition,
Case Reporting forms,
surveillance info, etc.
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Fact: