LYME AWAY

    

   Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi ( B. burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks carry these bacteria. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with Lyme disease. You can get the disease if you are bitten by an infected tick.   Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. In the United States, most Lyme disease infections occur in the following areas:
Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine
North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota, the West Coast, particularly northern California.    There are 3 stages of Lyme disease. 

• Stage 1 is called early localized Lyme disease. The infection is not yet widespread throughout the body.
• Stage 2 is called early disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have begun to spread throughout the body.
• Stage 3 is called late disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have spread throughout the body.

Risk factors for Lyme disease include:

• Doing outside activities that increase tick exposure (for example, gardening, hunting, or hiking) in an area where Lyme disease is known to occur
• Having a pet that may carry ticks home
• Walking in high grasses

    Important facts about tick bites and Lyme disease:

• In most cases, a tick must be attached to your body for 24 - 36 hours to spread the bacteria to your blood.
• Blacklegged ticks can be so small that they are almost impossible to see. Many people with Lyme disease never even saw a tick on their body.
• Most people who are bitten by a tick do not get Lyme disease.

Symptoms of early localized Lyme disease (Stage 1) begin days or weeks after infection. They are similar to the flu and may include:

• Body-wide itching
• Chills
• Fever
• General ill-feeling
• Headache
• Light-headedness or fainting
• Muscle pain
• Stiff neck

    There may be a "bull's eye" rash, a flat or slightly raised red spot at the site of the tick bite. Often there is a clear area in the center. It can be quite large and expanding in size.    Symptoms may come and go. Untreated, Lyme disease can spread to the brain, heart, and joints.

    Symptoms of early disseminated Lyme disease (Stage 2) may occur weeks to months after the initial tick bite. They may include:

• Paralysis or weakness in the muscles of the face
• Muscle pain and pain or swelling in the knees and other large joints
• Heart problems, such as skipped heartbeats (palpitations)

    Symptoms of late disseminated Lyme disease (Stage 3) can occur months or years after the initial infection. The most common symptoms are muscle and joint pain. Other symptoms may include:

• Abnormal muscle movement
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness and tingling
• Speech problems

    A blood test can be done to check for antibodies to the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. The most commonly used is the ELISA for Lyme disease test. A western blot test is done to confirm ELISA results.   In areas where Lyme disease is more common, your health care provider may be able to diagnose early disseminated Lyme disease (Stage 1) without doing any lab tests.
    Other tests that may be done, when the infection has become more widespread, include:

• Electrocardiogram
• Echocardiogram to look at the heart
• Spinal tap (lumbar puncture to examine spinal fluid
• MRI of the brain

    Anyone who has been bitten by a tick should be watched closely for at least 30 days.    A single dose of antibiotics may be offered to someone soon after being bitten by a tick, if all of the following are true:

• The person has a tick that can carry Lyme disease attached to their body. This usually means that a nurse or physician has looked at and identified the tick.
• The tick is thought to have been attached to the person for at least 36 hours.
• The person can begin taking the antibiotics within 72 hours of removing the tick.
• The person is over 8 years old and is not pregnant or breastfeeding.

   A 2 - 4-week course of antibiotics is used to treat people who are diagnosed with Lyme disease. The specific antibiotic used depends on the stage of the disease and the symptoms.    Pain medications, such as ibuprofen, are sometimes prescribed to relieve joint stiffness.

CAROL'S STORY

    Hi, Everybody, I’m Carol and have been dealing with Lyme’s Disease and its varying side affects for 17 years. Testing has been improved tremendously since then, so don’t equate your life totally with mine. I’m writing so you don’t make my mistakes and maybe I can help you in some way. Good luck in you journey. p.s. buy a lot of sticky notes.    I still can remember that first day in 1997, that I knew I was really sick. I just couldn’t get out of bed, this was not me! I was a Type A personality all the way. In 1995, I had purchased a brand new house in Oct, had a 50th Anniversary party for my parents in Nov and got engaged in early Dec. and went skiing for Xmas week out west, to round out the year.
    In 1996, I moved my parents (who lived in the same house for sixty years), planned my wedding, practically alone (since my sister and sister-in-laws lived out of town). Also, I acquired a Mother-in-Law from Hell. I was so confused….I had a new first and new last name. My Mother-in-Law called me “that Woman” because I stole her only son and I had taken on my Husband’s last name. Had two wedding showers and one wedding that people said was most the fun they ever had at a wedding. Went on a TWO week Caribbean cruise to eight islands and came back tired. Usually, I came back from vacations, full of vim and vigor. This time I noticed my concentration was going, especially at work. I gave a short speech at my wedding thanking my guests for coming to our celebration, when my husband and I would be leaving and where the cruise would be going. My old boss stood up at the wedding and said “She’s been already gone for months”. He was a great boss.
    Also, I went from a size 6 or 8 to a size 10, and my boss asked me if this was my “after honeymoon size”? (Even my shoes were getting too small). I remarried at 42 yrs. I first married at 26 yrs old, to a mentally and physically abusive man that lasted less than a year. Now, I was very sick, not even married one year to a wonderful guy and 45 years old. I was very skinny all my life and suddenly at 45 people usually don’t DOUBLE their weight.
    You know the story now…..go to your internist…he tests your thyroid…nothing is wrong….go to another doctor…..nothing is wrong…. go to a shrink….it all in your head. Hurray!!! At least, that can be fixed, right? No, it wasn’t all in my head, but keep him/her around for when you get depressed from this monstrous disease.
    Around 1990, I was diagnosed for FM (Fibromyalgia) which I call arthritis of the muscles. I took Lyrica and other pain pills that I can’t remember. Finally, after reading the internet, I went to a CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) doctor, he was an infectious disease doctor, Dr. L for a year. I trusted him with my life, what a stupid mistake. He prescribed me EIGHT huge pills used for Herpes and told me to sleep as much as I could. Crazy? I lost all my muscles strength and this doctor was in the book of “who’s who”! Before that I used work out at a gym, three times a week. Whatever you do, DON’T stop exercising, even if it’s only walking five minutes a day. You will be thankful later.
    Finally, it was my Pharmacist that saved me and asked if I had been tested for “Lyme’s Disease”? I hadn’t even heard of Lyme’s Disease. He referred me to a doctor that a few of the neighborhood people went to and this doctor did tests. My lyme test was out of the ball park, and my new doctor had already reported me to the CDC.
    He started me immediately on an iv, since I had Lyme’s so long and untreated for so long. I went back one more time to Dr. Who’s Who’s and I expected an apology at least and he just said, “you don’t need two infectious disease doctors”. Fuck him.
    My new infectious disease doctor, Dr. M., who I still see, is a super, super intelligent doctor and is the Captain of my ship. Back 17 yrs ago, there were only two good infectious disease doctors in Michigan.
    So, my iv was usually inserted somewhere near my elbow and I cut off the toes of a sock and put it over the PICC line to keep it clean and not snag it on something and pull it out.
    The answer is NO, I did not have a bull’s ring and I only ever met ONE person that had it. I didn’t have a rash or any flu-like symptoms. Also, get used to people telling you that you look so good and don’t look sick, or maybe a little tired. Inside I felt like a truck ran over me, the endless pain, the tiredness, the mental fog, lack of concentration, I felt 90 yrs. old. So where did I get it? Who know? I went to Connecticut for a weekend and went hiking once when I was engaged. Also, my beautiful new house was across from a nature area, where deer lived and people hiked and went snow-mobiling. I found one on my mums and put it in an empty pill bottle and gave it to my new Dr. M. and put some grass, as food, in the bottle. He sent it off for testing and sure enough it was a tick (Wow I can identify them now) and it was INFECTED! He said at least kill them next time! I didn’t know?

-------new day ---------

    Well, before LD, I very out-going and liked to be the center of attention. (I admit it at least). My pulse beat was always high and my PICC lines kept coming out, so I gained the title of the “The PICC Queen”. Gradually, I went on and received a “Groshong Catheter” surgically into the main artery of my heart. I think I only went through three of them. Remember, I had LD for yrs untreated and undiagnosed and needed years of liquid antibiotics to treat me. Sometimes, my doctor used a combo of antibiotics. Getting a Groshong, I was under anesthetics and I woke up feeling someone punched my chest very hard, a dozen times. The pain was gone in less than a week. Personally, I like the Groshong much better than a PICC line. It was easier all around. Like taking a shower and trying to cover your PICC line in your arm. Covering and keeping your Groshong dry is much easier.    Next, I would recommend getting an excellent pain doctor. My infectious disease Dr. M. would go up to a Tylenol #3, but that wasn’t cutting my severe pain. Word of mouth, helped find me my first pain doctor, but I always waited three hours to see him. After a year or two of this I switched, by word of mouth again, an excellent pain specialist, who was also an anesthesiologist.

LYME DISEASE: THE TEST

The Test
How is it used?
When is it ordered?
What does the test result mean?
Is there anything else I should know?

How is it used?
   Lyme disease tests are used to determine if a person with characteristic symptoms has been infected by Borrelia burgdorferi. If the doctor suspects a recent infection, then she may order both an IgM and IgG antibody blood test. If they are negative but symptoms persist, then the tests may be ordered again a few weeks later.
    Acute and convalescent samples may be used to track progression of the disease by looking for changes in the amount of antibody present. If the tests are positive, then a Western blot test is ordered to confirm the findings.
   Lyme disease can sometimes be challenging to diagnose. If a person has removed a tick from his skin, had a known tick bite, and lives in or has visited an area of the country where Lyme disease is most prevalent, then the timing of the potential infection can be closely estimated. However, the tick is about the size of the head of a pin and the bite may not be noticed. Not everyone will develop the characteristic rash, and the symptoms that a person does have may be nonspecific and flu-like in the early stages, with joint pain that develops into chronic arthritis and/or with neurological symptoms that appear months later.
    A blood test for antibodies to the bacterium is the preferred test for the diagnosis of Lyme disease. However, if a person has central nervous system symptoms, such as meningitis, then IgM, IgG, and Western blot testing may sometimes be performed on CSF.
    Occasionally PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing is performed on a sample because it is a more sensitive way of detecting an infection with B. burgdorferi. This method is useful in detecting the infection in samples such as fluid collected from a joint. It looks for the genetic material (DNA) of B. burgdorferi in the joint fluid (synovial fluid).
   Very rarely, a sample, such as a skin biopsy, may be cultured to grow the bacterium.

NOT YOUR TYPICAL

Stephen Gleasner is not your typical stay-at-home dad.

click image to enlarge

Stephen Gleasner of Appleton is recovering from Lyme disease after it went undiagnosed for several years.

Gabe Souza/Staff Photographer

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ATTEND A SEMINAR

TICK AND LYME disease awareness seminars will be held by the Maine Center for Disease Control in partnership with outdoor retailers.

• Epic Sports Gear, Bangor, May 4

• L.L. Bean, Freeport, May 19 and 20

• Cabela’s, Scarborough, May 26

ANYONE INTERESTED in holding a seminar can call the Maine CDC at 1-800-821-5821.

Gleasner, 50, creates art from plywood. His glass-like wooden bowls and relief wall hangings appear in galleries in Rockport and Rockland, as well as in South Carolina, Connecticut and Minnesota.

When not wielding a sander or hand saw, he has enjoyed riding his mountain bike long distances – such as from Canada to Mexico.

But now, Gleasner, of Appleton, suffers the classic symptoms of Lyme disease – chronic fatigue, and joint and gut pain. Gone are the mountain-bike expeditions and long creative days in his studio. Now it is a challenge making it from morning alarm clock to bedtime without a nap.

"I used to think it was fun to ride my bike and then cut the grass. But the past three years, if I took a two-mile walk, I had to sleep for a couple of hours. Everyday life became one special occasion after another. I had to give everything an extra effort," Gleasner said.

In 2008, Gleasner entered the Tour Divide, a mountain bike race few dare to try, pedaling through two Canadian provinces and five states from Montana to New Mexico. He raced against half a dozen other riders, climbing a total of 200,000 vertical feet over the 2,745-mile route during the course of a month.

Then Gleasner returned to Maine, took a few victory laps at the annual Bradbury Mountain bike race, and his life soon changed for the worse.

"Three months after the Divide, things started to fall apart. I went to an infectious disease guy, and the test for Lyme came back negative. I was assured it wasn't Lyme. But it's more complicated than that. It's a hard disease to diagnose," he said.

Gleasner struggled to make his wife and two young children breakfast. He was often forgetful, confused and suffered vertigo.

He would enjoy his son, Clark's, hour-long hockey practices, then struggle to put the boy's equipment in the hockey bag for him.

Over the next three years, Gleasner had an MRI, two CAT scans, blood work repeatedly, and changed doctors several times. All the while, his symptoms got worse.

Then last fall, he switched physicians one last time, and despite having never tested positive for Lyme, he started receiving treatment for the disease.

Since then, Gleasner says he's gotten better. He can make it through most days without a nap; gets less confused and dizzy; and is even trying to ride his bike again. He believes he will continue to recover. But he'll never get the last three years back.

"When I rode the Divide, my daughter was 3. More than half her life she's known me as the guy who is stiff and hurts. I'm not the guy I was, but I can't tell that to my kids. They see what they see now," he said.

AMERICAN LYME DISEASE FOUNDATION

    The American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections.
    The Foundation plays a key role in providing reliable and scientifically accurate information to the public, medical community and government agencies about tick-borne diseases and their effects on human health and quality of life.
    The Foundation works to help people make wise healthcare decisions by providing key information on Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections to the public and medical community. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of prevention and early intervention in avoiding complicated, expensive and potentially debilitating long-term illness.
    To achieve its mission, the ALDF provides an array of brochures, tick ID cards and other materials that contain current information on symptoms, diagnosis and treatment guidelines, prevention strategies, and methods of tick-control. Individuals, schools, physicians' offices, health departments, corporations, and many other organizations may order bulk quantities of these materials for a modest fee. A Spanish language brochure is also available. It should be noted that all of these materials may be downloaded and printed directly from our website.
    Access to knowledgeable primary care physicians and specialists throughout the country is critical to patients whose regular doctor may not be familiar with tick-borne disease diagnostic and treatment guidelines. The foundation maintains a national physician referral service that includes board-certified specialists who have been contacted by the ALDF and have agreed to evaluate and treat Lyme disease patients. Leading Lyme disease researchers serving as medical advisors to the ALDF may also be available for medical consultations with physicians in non-endemic areas who may not be familiar with Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment. The ALDF Physician Referral Service may be contacted directly at physref@aldf.com.
    Hispanic Education Program The main objective of this program is to educate members of the Hispanic community in the tri-state area about Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. Many in this primarily immigrant group work outdoors and face the threat of tick-bites on a daily basis. As such, the ALDF has developed a multi-faceted educational program designed to increase awareness of tick-borne diseases.
    Strategies include dissemination of our Spanish language brochure, "Understanding Lyme Disease." In color, the brochure has a pictorial focus and is designed to inform its readers in simple terms about tick-borne infections, proper tick removal, and the need to see a physician if symptoms occur. This informative brochure is ideal for use by health departments, employers, clinics and other organizations concerned about the health of the many individuals of this population who work outdoors on a daily basis. Sample copies are available free of charge and also may be downloaded and printed directly from our website.
    Lyme disease (LD) is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of bacterium called a spirochete (pronounced spy-ro-keet) that is carried by deer ticks. An infected tick can transmit the spirochete to the humans and animals it bites. Untreated, the bacterium travels through the bloodstream, establishes itself in various body tissues, and can cause a number of symptoms, some of which are severe.
    LD manifests itself as a multisystem inflammatory disease that affects the skin in its early, localized stage, and spreads to the joints, nervous system and, to a lesser extent, other organ systems in its later,
disseminated stages. If diagnosed and treated early with antibiotics, LD is almost always readily cured. Generally, LD in its later stages can also be treated effectively, but because the rate of disease progression and individual response to treatment varies from one patient to the next, some patients may have symptoms that linger for months or even years following treatment. In rare instances, LD causes permanent damage.
    Although LD is now the most common arthropod-borne illness in the U.S. (more than 150,000 cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] since 1982), its diagnosis and treatment can be challenging for clinicians due to its diverse manifestations and the limitations of currently available serological (blood) tests.
    The prevalence of LD in the northeast and upper mid-west is due to the presence of large numbers of the deer tick's preferred hosts - white-footed mice and deer - and their proximity to humans. White-footed mice serve as the principal "reservoirs of infection" on which many larval and nymphal (juvenile) ticks feed and become infected with the LD spirochete. An infected tick can then transmit infection the next time it feeds on another host (e.g., an unsuspecting human).

LYME DISEASE

    Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in North America and Europe. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Deer ticks, which feed on the blood of animals and humans, can harbor the bacteria and spread it when feeding.
    You're more likely to get Lyme disease if you live or spend time in grassy and heavily wooded areas where ticks carrying the disease thrive. It's important to take common-sense precautions in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent.
    If you're treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of the disease, you're likely to recover completely. In later stages, response to treatment may be slower, but the majority of people with Lyme disease recover completely with appropriate treatment.
    The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease are variable, usually involving more than one system. The skin, joints and nervous system are affected most often. In general, Lyme disease can cause:
Rash. A few days to a month before you have other symptoms, a small, red bump may appear at the site of the tick bite. Over the next few days, the redness expands, forming a rash in a bull's-eye pattern, with a red outer ring surrounding a clear area. The rash, called erythema migrans, is one of the hallmarks of Lyme disease. Some people develop several of these rashes, an indication of bacteria multiplying in the blood stream.
Flu-like symptoms. Fever, chills, fatigue, body aches and a headache may accompany the rash.
Migratory joint pain. If the infection is not treated, you may develop bouts of severe joint pain and swelling several weeks to months after you're infected. Your knees are especially likely to be affected, but the pain can shift from one joint to another.
Neurological problems. In some cases, inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain (meningitis), temporary paralysis of one side of your face (Bell's palsy), numbness or weakness in your limbs, and impaired muscle movement may occur weeks, months or even years after an untreated infection.
Less common signs and symptoms. Some people may experience heart problems — such as an irregular heartbeat — several weeks after infection, but this rarely lasts more than a few days or weeks. Eye inflammation, hepatitis and severe fatigue are possible as well.

When to see a doctor
    If you know you've been bitten and experience signs and symptoms of Lyme disease — particularly if you live in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent — contact your doctor immediately. Treatment for Lyme disease is most effective if begun early. Only a minority of deer tick bites leads to Lyme disease. The longer the tick remains attached to your skin, the greater your risk of getting the disease.
    In the United States, the Lyme disease bacterium is carried primarily by deer ticks. The ticks are brown and often no bigger than the head of the pin, which can make them nearly impossible to spot.
    Ticks attach themselves to a host and feed on the host's blood until they're swollen to many times their normal size. During feeding, ticks that carry disease-producing bacteria can transmit the bacteria to a healthy host. Or, if the host is infected, they may pick up bacteria themselves.
    Deer ticks typically feed on the blood of mice, small birds and deer, but they can also feed on the blood of humans, cats, dogs and horses. They live in low bushes and tall grasses of wooded areas, waiting for warm-blooded animals to pass by. Deer ticks are most active in the summer.
    To contract Lyme disease, you must be bitten by an infected deer tick. The bacteria enter your skin through the bite and eventually make their way into your bloodstream. Before bacteria can be transmitted, a deer tick must take a blood meal, which can take more than 48 hours of feeding. Only ticks that are attached to your skin and are feeding can transmit the bacteria. An attached tick that has a swollen appearance may indicate that enough time has elapsed to transmit bacteria. Removing the tick as soon as possible may prevent infection.
    Where you live or vacation can affect your chances of getting Lyme disease. So can your profession and the type of outdoor activities you enjoy. The most common risk factors for Lyme disease include:

• Spending time in wooded or grassy areas. In the United States, deer ticks are most prevalent in the Northeast and Midwest regions and in northwestern states like Oregon and Washington. All have heavily wooded areas where deer ticks thrive. In these regions, children who spend a lot of time outdoors are especially at risk. So are people with outdoor occupations and those who live where mice are common. Deer ticks feed on mice, which are a prime reservoir for Lyme disease bacteria.
• Having exposed skin. Ticks attach easily to bare flesh. If you're in an area where ticks are common, protect yourself and your children by wearing long sleeves and long pants. Don't allow your pets to wander in tall weeds and grasses.
• Not removing ticks promptly or properly. Bacteria from a tick bite can enter your bloodstream only if the tick stays attached to your skin for 48 hours or longer. If you remove a tick within two days, your risk of acquiring Lyme disease is low.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause:

• Chronic joint inflammation (Lyme arthritis), particularly of the knee
• Neurological symptoms, such as facial palsy and neuropathy
• Cognitive defects, such as impaired memory
• Heart rhythm irregularities

    Lyme disease has many nonspecific symptoms that often are found in other conditions, such as viral infections, various joint disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and even depression. Sometimes, these common conditions are misdiagnosed as Lyme disease. What's more, the ticks that transmit Lyme disease also can spread other diseases at the same time.
    If you don't have the characteristic Lyme disease rash, your doctor may ask detailed questions about your medical history and do a physical exam. Lab tests to identify antibodies to the bacteria may be used to help confirm the diagnosis. These tests are most reliable a few weeks after an infection, after your body has time to develop antibodies. They include:

• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The test used most often to detect Lyme disease, ELISA detects antibodies to B. burgdorferi. But because it can sometimes provide false-positive results, it's not used as the sole basis for diagnosis.
• Western blot test. If the ELISA test is positive, another test — the Western blot — is usually done to confirm the diagnosis. The Western blot detects antibodies to several proteins of B. burgdorferi.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This test helps detect bacterial DNA in fluid drawn from an infected joint. It's not as effective at detecting infection of blood or urine. It's used for people who may have chronic Lyme arthritis. It may also be used to detect persistent infection in the cerebrospinal fluid of people who have nervous system symptoms.

Oral antibiotics
Oral antibiotics are the standard treatment for early-stage Lyme disease. These usually include doxycycline for adults and children older than 8, or amoxicillin or cefuroxime for adults, younger children, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. These drugs often clear the infection and prevent complications. A 14- to 21-day course of antibiotics is usually recommended, but some studies suggest that courses lasting 10 to 14 days are equally effective.
Intravenous antibiotics
If the disease has progressed, your doctor may recommend treatment with an intravenous antibiotic for 14 to 28 days. This is effective in eliminating infection, although it may take some time to recover symptomatically. Intravenous antibiotics can cause various side effects, including a lower white blood cell count, mild to severe diarrhea, or colonization or infection with other antibiotic resistant organisms unrelated to Lyme.
    After treatment, a small number of people still experience some symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue. The cause of these continuing symptoms is unknown, but extended antibiotic treatment doesn't make them go away. Some experts believe that certain people who get Lyme disease are predisposed to develop an autoimmune response that contributes to their symptoms. More research is needed.
Avoid Bismacine
    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers and health care providers to avoid Bismacine, an injectable compound prescribed by some alternative medicine practitioners to treat Lyme disease. Bismacine, also known as Chromacine, contains high levels of the metal bismuth. Although bismuth is safely used in some oral medications for digestive conditions, it's not approved for use in injectable form or as a treatment for Lyme disease. Bismacine can cause bismuth poisoning, which may lead to heart and kidney failure.

R.A. TODAY

    TUESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) — People with rheumatoid arthritis are routinely screened for breast, cervical and colon cancer, a new study found, contradicting previous reports that they receive fewer cancer screenings than people without the condition.
    The study, published July 10 in Arthritis & Rheumatism, showed that people with the rheumatoid arthritis, as well as those without the condition, were screened once every three years for cervical cancer. Both groups were also screened for breast cancer every two years.
    “Early detection of common cancers can improve morbidity and mortality rates in those with chronic illnesses, such as [rheumatoid arthritis],” Dr. Seoyoung Kim, with the divisions of rheumatology and pharmacoepidemiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said in a journal news release. “Cancer screening tests are important in detecting malignancies at early stages for both chronically ill and healthy populations.”
    Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that’s more common in women than in men. The disorder attacks joint tissues and sometimes organs, causing swelling, inflammation, fever and fatigue. It usually develops between the ages of 30 and 60 but can occur at other ages, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
    In conducting the study, the researchers used insurance claims to identify more than 13,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and more than 200,000 patients without the condition. They compared screening rates for breast, cervical and colon cancer between both groups.
    Among participants who were at least 50 years old, 12 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients had at least one colonoscopy each year, compared with 10 percent of patients without arthritis.
    The researchers noted that women with rheumatoid arthritis were more likely to have an annual Pap smear, mammogram, fecal occult blood test and colonoscopy than women who did not have the disease. Men with the condition were also more likely to have a colonoscopy than other men.
    “Our findings indicate that [rheumatoid arthritis] patients were regularly screened for cervical, breast and colon cancer as recommended by the American Cancer Society,” Kim noted. “Cancer screenings rates among patients with [rheumatoid arthritis] were similar to the general population, which is different than previously published results.”
    The researchers pointed out that preventive health care is critical for patients with chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. They noted however, that the study was limited to patients with health insurance.

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Guess “Where’s Bella?” And Barnstorm

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(Shopping News Photo by Donald Reese)

The “Where’s Bella?” contest continues with a new photo and location. Shopping News readers have the opportunity to win 4 vouchers to redeem for 4 tickets to a Lancaster Barnstormers baseball game.

By correctly identifying the location in which Bella, the black lab, is photographed, your entry will be entered to win a weekly random drawing. This week, the contest entry form, rules and regulations can be found on page 13A. Remember to check back weekly for a new chance to win!

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Pioneer Fire Company Welcomes Public At Open House  |  |  (Shopping News Photo by Donald Reese) Ephrata’s Pioneer Fire Company hosted their annual Open House for the public this past week. The street in front of the station was closed and numerous displays were set up to look at. Activities for children included a bounce castle, hose spraying and a smokehouse demonstration. The fire company provided ice cream, goodie bags, hats and more. Shown in the photos are children spraying the hoses, a crew in the ladder truck lifting off for a rappelling demonstration, children enjoying the rescue boat displays, and Cinder the clown greeting a child with a fireman’s hat. Another Great Concert By The Creek  |  |  (Shopping News Photo by Donald Reese) Area residents turned out in large numbers last week to enjoy another great musical act in the Concerts by the Creek series. “Beatlemania Again” gave an amazing performance of Beatles’ classics. Clear skies provided the perfect backdrop for this event held in Ephrata’s Grater Park. This Beatles tribute band did not disappoint those in attendance. Shown in the photo are the “Fab Four” as they perform. Ephrata Youth Band Camp Celebrates 25 Years  |  |  (Shopping News Photo by Donald Reese) The 25th annual Ephrata Youth Band Camp was held from Monday, June 25 through Thursday, June 28 at the Fulton Elementary School. The camp is designed for students who have just completed grades 4, 5 and 6. The program gives them more experience in ensemble playing and large group performance, and it provides a fun activity as well. The band practiced from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday through Thursday. The time was spent in large and small group rehearsals interspersed with various activities for the students. The goal of the camp was to perform an Outdoor Concert at Hershey Park on Thursday, June 28. After the performance, the students, accompanied by parent chaperones, enjoyed the amusement park for several hours and were treated to a picnic later in the day. Read more... Scout Of The Year Winners Recognized  |  |  (Shopping News Photo by Donald Reese) Cocalico Valley VFW Post 3376 announced the winners in their Scout of the Year contest. Shown in the photo are (left to right): Tim Barr (commander), Dwayne MacKenzie (Scout of the Year chairman), Conner Land (1st place from troop 363), Alex Smoker (4th place from troop 115), Kyle DeHaver (2nd place from troop 73), Josh Grasser (3rd place from troop 115). Conner received $100, Alex $50, Kyle $100, and Josh $75.