When you go out to the park, or even your backyard, you are exposed to ticks. Ticks are small arachnids, which are joint-legged invertebrate animals. They live off of the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Furthermore, you may or may not know that Lyme disease is most frequently detected in rodent-feeding vector ticks (“Ticks”). There was a tremendous outbreak of Lyme in 1975- in its hometown of Lyme, Connecticut-when it was classified as a new disease (“Lyme disease History”). This disease was realized as a tick-borne illness in 1978, but in 1981 Willy Burgdorfer found the cause to this mystery. Dr. Burgdorfer 's research concerned the interactions between animal and human disease agents and their transmitting arthropod vectors, particularly ticks, fleas and mosquitoes (“Burgdorfer”). The first case of Lyme was reported in 1883, when a scientist called it a degenerative skin disorder (“Lyme disease History”). Between 1920 and 1934, the disease is found to be associated with neurological problems, psychiatric problems, and showed the appearance of EM or ACA. IN 1970, Rudolph Scrimenti, professor of dermatology, publishes reports of the rash. Later on in 1975, it was officially a recognized disease and more and more people started to become diagnosed. It is most often implied that these “diseased ticks” came over form European countries on ships. And then spread across North America over time (“Lyme disease History”). Since Lyme disease is the most common tick-carried infection in North America, we should take precaution and inform others about this disease so we can start the prevention process.
According to Ohio State University, Lyme disease is a biosafety level two. A biosafety level is the “level of the bio-containment precautions required to isolate dangerous biological agents in an enclosed facility” (“Biosafety”). These levels range from the lowest-level1- to the highest-level 2-. This is considering that the BSL 2 (Biosafety
Cited: “Biosafety Levels” Academic Marion. Ohio State University. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. http://academic.marion.ohio-state.edu/sciencefair/BSL.htm “Congressman” Congressman Joe Wilson in South Carolina hospital “DNA” DNA of "Black Death" Decoded. The World Book Encyclopedia. Web. 24 Nov. 2011. http://www.worldbook.com/making-headlines/item/959-dna-of-black-death-decoded “Burgdofer, Dr.” Willy Burgdofer “Lyme disease” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 23 Nov. 2011. Web. 4 Nov. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease “Lyme disease History” Brown Miller, Kenneth, and Levine Joseph. Biology. Boston: Pearson, 2011. Print Monroe, Judy “Ticks” Stop Germs. Alliance for Consumer Education. 2010. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. http://www.stopgerms.org/documents/tick.html?gclid=CJCvgZiA3awCFY2b7QodiWS4pQ