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Tick population expected to increase this summer

Updated: 2009-03-20 20:35:19 CST Category: Lyme Disease

In some areas of the country that experienced floods or heavy snow this winter, their tick population may increase this summer, which means there could be more Lyme disease diagnoses.

Dr. Chuck Klima, an Iowa veterinarian, said a surge in the tick population meant people and their pets had to be "more vigilant about the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease," the GlobeGazette reports.

One bite from an infected insect can transfer the condition to humans. Adding to the confusion surrounding the diagnosis of the disease is that the symptoms, which include fever, headache and fatigue, are shared with other conditions.

According to the CDC, more than 27,000 people were diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2007, an increase of 12,800 a decade earlier.

Animals can be vaccinated against the disease through a series of tiny injections, though no such medication exists for humans.

Health officials say those who are diagnosed with the condition through a Lyme disease test have a better chance of beating the disease when compared to people who are not immediately diagnosed.

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