HARRISBURG – May 2024 is Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illness Month in PA, thanks to Senate Resolution 287. With families looking to spend time outdoors this Memorial Day weekend, Pennsylvanians need to know about the dangers and seriousness associated with tick bites and Lyme disease. Lyme disease cases have been reported in all 67 PA counties with more cases than any other state. About one in four cases of Lyme disease occur in children, with children ages five to nine at the greatest risk. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted to humans through an infected blacklegged tick bite. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a rash. Untreated infections can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system. Ticks can pose other threats in addition to Lyme disease. Nearly 55% of ticks tested in PA in 2022 were infected with at least one tick-borne pathogen. Persons can learn about how to submit a tick sample and the test results that are often necessary for doctors to pursue treatment at the website: ticklab.org.
