June 24, 2021 – Lyme disease is being identified in record numbers throughout the country, say researchers at Johns Hopkins, Colorado State University and SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.
Diagnostic solutions manufacturer Quidel (San Diego, CA) says the disease has been found not only in the woodlands of New England and other forested regions as typically expected but in unexpected numbers on the beaches in Northern California, throughout the southwest and southeast, and other parts of the country where reported cases are on the rise.
As the prevalence and fear of Lyme disease intensifies, there is a need for testing immediately if there are signs that someone may have contracted Lyme disease.
These signs may include fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain, weakness in the limbs and often a characteristic skin rash with a bull’s-eye pattern.
For accurate and fast testing, more and more clinicians are turning to the Sofia 2 Lyme FIA by Quidel. The test provides indicative results within 15 minutes, as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm (and during which time organisms can spread and become systemic), Quidel says.
The test can be performed in the privacy of a doctor’s office, local clinic, or even by a nurse at a children’s summer camp. Quidel says it is the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood.
One fear that some researchers have is that some people experiencing symptoms of Lyme may have been reluctant to seek medical care over the past year, given their concerns about exposure to COVID at the doctor’s office or clinic.
This could result in cases going undiagnosed and untreated, which makes Lyme disease much more serious and harder to treat later on.