Chances are that you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Lyme or another tick-borne disease.
There have been more cases of tick-borne diseases on the East End than anywhere else in Suffolk County in recent years, according to a report released by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services in April.
Anna-Marie Wellins, DNP, a member of the Medical Advisory Panel of Southampton Hospital’s Tick-Borne Disease Resource Center, will speak about the types of diseases carried by the different species of ticks found on Eastern Long Island, and the symptoms, diagnostic tests, and treatment options that are available tomorrow morning at the East Marion firehouse.
Each person in attendance will receive a free tick kit and there will be ample time for questions and answers, according to the East Marion Community Association, which is hosting the event. Tips on preventing tick bites will also be shared.
Lyme disease, which can be a very serious illness with long-term, life-altering impacts, was the most common tick-borne illness reported in Suffolk County from 2010 through 2014; 1,304 cases were reported county-wide.
But other less commonly known and equally serious tick-borne diseases caused almost the same number of cases during that time period. Suffolk County health officials have documented eight of the 14 known tick-borne diseases in Suffolk, according to the North Fork Deer Management Alliance. See the 2015 report by the Centers for Disease Control below.
Doors will open at 9:30 for coffee and socializing, said EMCA president Anne Murray. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. All are welcome.
Tick Borne Diseases of the United States
