Lyme Disease Task Force Reports To The Health District

By Jan Howard

The Newtown District Department of Health Board of Directors heard a presentation by members of the Newtown Lyme Disease Task Force and two members of the community during its meeting May 19.

This year will be a tough one in regard to Lyme disease, according to Kim Harrison of the task force. “It has a snowballing effect,” she told the Board of Directors.

Two local women, whose family members had long-lasting effects from Lyme disease, told the board members of their experiences with persistent symptoms of the disease, including Bell’s palsy, night sweats, fever, neurological problems, and co-infection from other tick-borne diseases. Some of their family members were treated with antibiotics for up to two years.

One woman noted she worries every time her children go outside to play.

Ms Harrison said the experiences of these families “are representative of calls we’re receiving.”

She noted the over-reliance of physicians on laboratory testing. “The bull’s-eye is a blessing,” Ms Harrison said, because it is a definite sign of Lyme disease. Most people, however, don’t get the rash, she noted.

“Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis,” task force member Maggie Shaw said, noting that the blood test is only supportive.

Ms Shaw said that calls about Lyme disease rank number one among callers to Danbury Hospital’s Call-A-Nurse program. The Call-A-Nurse program is a free telephone hotline service the hospital offers to the community to answer health questions.

Ms Shaw noted the importance of deer control in decreasing the risk of contracting the disease.

  Health Director Donna McCarthy said she recently distributed literature about Lyme disease through the schools.

  Health District Chairman Jim Smith said the Health District is doing all it can to advise residents about prevention strategies.

   The board members complimented Dr Thomas Draper, the department’s medical advisor, for his educational program on Lyme disease for doctors at Danbury Hospital. One hundred fifty-three doctors went through the program this year. The program is to continue for another year.

   Dr Draper said that Lyme is a reportable disease. In its early stages, a laboratory test would not indicate presence of the disease. “Testing is for later in the disease,” he said. He noted that doctors should treat it early without full knowledge of whether the patient definitely has the disease.

   In 2002, Newtown had twice the incidence of Lyme disease than the state, he said, because of awareness of its residents about the disease, plus the number of deer.

   In other business, Ms McCarthy discussed budget modifications for the current year’s budget. She reported a revision in state approved per capita funds from $42,814 to $42,726.17 and approval of state carryover funds of $15,029.61, which brings about a new budget of $400,045.78 for the current year.

   Because legal bills have been higher than what was budgeted for this year, the board also approved a transfer of $4,000 from the salaries line item to that of legal/financial.