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Schumer introduces bill for Lyme disease prevention, education

Tom Magnarelli
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WRVO News File Photo
Examples of ticks that carry Lyme disease.

Lyme disease has been spreading in upstate New York for the past few years. For example, there were 57 cases in Oswego County in 2014 compared to just five cases in 2009. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) has introduced legislation that he says would help prevent the disease and educate the public.

Debi Collins found a bullseye rash on her arm, six weeks after she had been working outside one day. Her doctor told her they didn't have Lyme disease in Madison County.

“Unfortunately, if he'd have only known what the veterinarian across the road practicing from him knew about Lyme disease in the area, he would have known we do have Lyme,” said Collins.

The number of Lyme disease cases in dogs was rising, too. Collins was tested for Lyme disease but the test came back negative. It took four years for her to be diagnosed.

Schumer, who was also contracted Lyme disease but received treated early, says his bill would help fund new, more reliable tests. Schumer says the current Lyme disease tests have too many false positives and false negatives, which is what happened to Collins.

Credit Tom Magnarelli / WRVO News
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WRVO News
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) was joined by Debi Collins, who had Lyme disease, at a recent event in Fulton.

If Lyme disease is discovered in three days, either from a tick or rash, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics and the symptoms go away. Lyme disease, left untreated, can debilitate bones and muscles and cause joint pain and swelling.

The bill also provides funding to find a cure and educates doctors on the symptoms -- such as fever, headaches and fatigue.

“They often don't know the symptoms. In other words, if you come in and say I have achy muscles, because Lyme disease is relatively new in our area, they may not know to test you for Lyme disease,” said Schumer, at a recent event in Fulton.

Lyme disease is new to some upstate areas including parts of central New York, because deer carrying the ticks have migrated from the Hudson Valley.

Tom Magnarelli is a reporter covering the central New York and Syracuse area. He joined WRVO as a freelance reporter in 2012 while a student at Syracuse University and was hired full time in 2015. He has reported extensively on politics, education, arts and culture and other issues around central New York.