A doe and two fawns in my yard are a beautiful sight - reminds me of "Bambi," but it could be a "double feature" with horrors you wouldn't believe. The innocent deer may be carrying ticks infected with Lyme disease. Recent articles about "deer problems" have discussed the deer eating plants in yards and being hit by cars, but none of the articles mentions the serious public health threat of illnesses spread by deer ticks.

While the number of cases in South Carolina is underreported, recent studies prove that Lyme is definitely a health threat here. The Lyme Disease Network of South Carolina has received calls from across the state, and our experience shows that Lyme is a growing problem. As the number of deer increases and the size of their habitat decreases, more people will be exposed to Lyme disease.

If Lyme is not diagnosed promptly and treated adequately, serious complications develop that may affect almost any organ in the body, but especially the heart, brain and joints. Since there is no lab test that is reliable, the diagnosis is based on signs and symptoms. Lyme can mimic many other illnesses, such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, lupus, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson's, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc. It is a more complex illness than was originally thought.

Good health is a precious gift that must be protected, so use the following sources to learn how to prevent and recognize Lyme disease:

1) www.lymenet.org, www.lyme.org, www.sc-lyme.com

2) Coping with Lyme Disease . . . Diagnosis and Treatment by Denise Lang and
Everything You Need To Know About Lyme Disease by Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner

3) call the Lyme Disease Network of South Carolina at (803)798-LYME.

This is not an illness to be taken lightly. Untreated, it can be devastating physically, mentally and financially. Education is your best defense against Lyme disease. There is no easy solution to the problems of deer and people living in close proximity, but we must work hard to find an answer. Protecting wildlife is imperative, but top priority must be given to protecting the health of our citizens.

CAROL BLACK
Lyme Disease Network of South Carolina Columbia

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