6:00: Morning News

4 new W.Va. counties listed ‘endemic’ for Lyme disease

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Four West Virginia counties are newly considered endemic for Lyme disease, according to the Monongalia Health Department.

Kanawha, Roane, Marshall and Wetzel counties recently met the endemic designation because they had at least two Lyme disease cases reported, including erythema migrans, also known as “bulls-eye rash.” The cases received CDC laboratory confirmation and the sufferers acquired the disease within the reporting county. Overall, 11 West Virginia counties are now endemic.

“We have two confirmed cases in Kanawha County, which are not associated with travel outside Kanawha County,” said Michael Brumage, an officer with the Kanawha-Charleston health department.

Brumage said his department plans to talk with providers in the community to inform them of the cases, as well as inform others about prevention.

“Now that we know that we have Lyme disease in our community, we know that we can tell people to wear clothing that is appropriate for going out in the woods,” he said. “Try to wear long sleeves and long pants.”

Lyme disease is transmitted from the blacklegged deer tick, and Brumage said only this kind can transmit the disease.

“If you have a tick on you, it does not mean you’re going to get Lyme disease,” he said. “First of all, it has to be only that one kind of tick and it has to have been there for at least 36 hours for you to be able to even have a chance to transmit the disease.”

In other parts of West Virginia, there were more instances. Marshall County reported five confirmed cases of Lyme disease.

Ronda Francis, an administrator for the Marshall County health department, said she thinks the reason more people have the disease in her county is because of the increased deer population there.

“The ticks are migrating outside of their normal areas. As the deer cross over boundaries into new territory and those ticks drop off, they start spreading that way. They carry the disease with them,” said Francis.

The department is currently conducting investigations and public education. Most important, people should make sure they’re protected from head to toe when venturing into the woods, Francis said.

“Tuck your pants legs into your socks. Wear clothing that covers all exposed areas. Be sure that at the end of your outdoor activities that you check thoroughly for ticks, including your hair and behind your ears.”

Ticks can attach to any part of the human body, but are often found in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits and scalp.

This year West Virginia has reported 119 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease. Eighty-four cases were reported from the other endemic counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Hancock, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Wood.





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