Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

The Lowdown on Lyme Disease: The Latest In Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention

Steve Lum
/
Flickr/CC

With the lilacs every spring comes an unwelcome harbinger of the season: black-legged ticks. And with New Hampshire near the top of the list of states with the highest incidence of Lyme disease, Granite Staters take this tiny arachnid seriously. We'll find out what's new this season in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention when it comes to this tick-borne illness.

  • Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tickborne disease, with over 1,000 cases reported each year in N.H.
  • The annual incidence of Lyme disease is highest among the 5-14 year age group.

  This program was originally broadcast on May 18, 2016.

Read a write-up of the hour-long conversation here.

GUESTS:

  • Dr. Benjamin Chan, state epidemiologist for New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Alan Eaton, UNH Cooperative Extension Entomologist and Integrated Pest Management Specialist. Alan has been studying ticks and Lyme disease in New Hampshire for two decades. 
  • Abigail Mathewson, Surveillance Epidemiology Program Manager, and State Public Health Veterinarian at New Hampshire’s Department of Health and Human Services. DHHS is currently seeking volunteers to serve as piloting sites for the educational materials. Interested groups should contact carolyn.fredette@dhhs.nh.gov.

We'll also hear from Aubrey Nelson, president of New Hampshire Environmental Educators, and Science Teacher and Outdoor Program Coordinator at the Beech Hill School, and Dave Anderson, Director of Education & Volunteer Services for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, where he's responsible for conservation education programs for Forest Society members, conservation partners, schools and the general public.

Watch a video from Alan Eaton and UNH Cooperative Extension about how to protect yourself from ticks:

Read more:

Credit Sara Plourde / Flickr/CC
/
Flickr/CC

Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.