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May 3, 2007 11:44 pm US/Eastern
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Lyme Disease Skyrockets In Maryland
by Sally Thorner
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) ―
As Lindsey Thomas reflects on the life of her husband Peter, she wonders what if? What if her husband's Lyme disease was not misdiagnosed for five years?
"Besides walking down this horrific road we were treated with the utmost lack of compassion," Lindsey said to
WJZ's Sally Thorner. "He firmly believed that he had a severe case of Lyme."
Peter Thomas was an accomplished sound engineer who traveled the world making commercials and movies. In 2001 he was working in the hills of western Maryland on the set of the film "Gods and Generals" when his wife says he was infected.
"He told me every night. He would go into his hotel room and do head-to-toe tick checks," said Lindsey.
Peter soon developed an oval rash. At first he wasn't concerned because it looked nothing like the bulls-eye rash he believed was the disease's "smoking gun." Still, he took a Lyme blood test. The results came back negative. False negatives are common.
About a year later he started exhibiting night-sweats. Later he developed slurred speech, muscle pains and other symptoms synonymous with late-stage Lyme disease.
Peter was misdiagnosed with everything from ALS to arthritis. He was given various medications to treat these conditions, but they had no effect.
"In the spring of '05, Peter said I just don't feel right about this and I really want to get another Lyme test," said Lindsey. "I said let me do some research because I was not going to send him back to the same lab."
Peter flew to Colorado where six weeks later a doctor confirmed his worst suspicions. Within months, he died from a disease few think can be fatal. On his death certificate, one of the causes says Lyme.
"Ultimately his body was weak starting the medicine, and it made him weaker," said Lindsey. "He never could regain his strength."
Peter's story is a warning to others. For every detected case of Lyme, between four and twelve others go misdiagnosed.
Lyme disease specialist John Aucott says Lyme is a growing problem in Maryland.
"Maryland is clearly one of the top states for transmission of Lyme disease," he said to
WJZ's Thorner from his office in Lutherville.
According to data from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that was obtained by WJZ 13, in 1990 there were only 238 confirmed cases in Maryland. By 2005 that number spiked 418% to more than 1,235 cases.
Lyme disease is named after the Connecticut town where it was discovered in the 1970s. It is caused by bacteria that is typically transmitted to humans by deer ticks. The illness is rarely fatal. In fact, if caught early it's very treatable with oral antibiotics. However, according to the Center for Disease Control, if left untreated Lyme can lead to major chronic problems including severe arthritis, fatigue, fever, headaches and muscle pains.
Symptoms of early stage Lyme disease include fever, headache, weakness and a skin rash. If you ever notice a localized rash, you are urged to contact a physician. Symptoms of late-stage Lyme include stiff neck, irregular heart beat, hearing and vision problems and paralysis.
Click here for symptoms of Lyme disease.
The virus trademark is the bullseye-shaped rash, which usually occurs within a month of the initial bite. But only 68% of people develop the bullseye. However, only one in two people bit by an infected tick will contract the disease. For all that is known about the illness a lot remains unclear.
"The one thing we know is the sooner you get the tick off the less likely it is to transmit Lyme disease," said Aucott. "It's an area where we need to do a lot of research because one thing I can tell you is that it's not going away."
Neither does the pain from losing a loved one. It has been one year since Peter died. Now Lindsey and her two children are trying to move on.
"My husband, the father of my children, was taken away from us. But life presents you very difficult hurdles and you have to figure out a way to overcome them and move on."
Click here for more information about Lyme disease.
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