Lyme Disease

With all of the natural beauty and outdoor activities in our area, it’s important for Virginians to understand how to protect themselves from deer ticks, which carry bacteria that transmits Lyme Disease.

I have personally hosted three Lyme disease forums in the 10th District, and have also joined with community groups to raise awareness about this debilitating disease. Many who attended the forum suffer from Bell's palsy, meningitis and other manifestations of Lyme disease. After these community forums and the many contacts I have received from constituents, it is clear that concern is growing over the spread of Lyme disease and the failure to produce a vaccine for humans. I am hopeful that through increased education efforts about the threat of Lyme disease, we can help to ensure people living in high risk areas know how to protect themselves and their children.

I worked to obtain language in appropriations bills to ensure that the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent have the resources to address this issue has been signed into law.  I also continue to encourage agencies to approve health care reports that reference "chronic Lyme." I have continued to carry similar language in subsequent funding bills, and have worked to ensure that existing research funding at the department Agriculture is prioritized to build on ways to protect humans and livestock from tick-borne illnesses, and to consider how such diseases impact the local economy. Additionally, my Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill recognizes that individuals are impacted by both acute and chronic Lyme disease, and encourages the National Science Foundation to continue efforts to fund worthy Lyme disease research proposals. 

Lyme Disease Floor Debate (9/27/2008)

I am also cosponsoring legislation to require the secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) create a federal Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee charged with coordinating research and advising federal agencies on priorities related to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. 

The advisory committee would ensure coordination and communication among federal agencies, a broad range of medical professionals, and patients. The committee would meet at least twice a year, and submit, through the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the director of the National Institutes of Health, an annual report of its activities.

I am also cosponsoring additional legislation that would further increase the amount of funding that could go towards efforts to find a solution to this devastating, chronic illness.

In response to concerns that the Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) Lyme disease guidelines are outdated and highly controversial with regard to insurance coverage, I joined with repeatedly joined with my colleagues in sending a letter to the company that manages the National Guideline Clearinghouse. Because the IDSA guidelines have not been thoroughly reviewed in over five years, we urged the company to remove the guidelines until they have been fully reviewed and revised and asked for guideline methodology to be disclosed.

Please contact my Washington office at 202-225-5136 for more information on resources available to protect your family from ticks and tick-borne diseases such as Lyme,and know that I will remain committed to efforts that raise awareness about Lyme in Virginia and across the country.

Brochures and Presentations

• Ten things you always wanted to know about ticks but were afraid to ask (National Science Foundation)
• Information from April 2012 Lyme Forum for Medical Community
• Virginia Task Force on Lyme Disease Final Report
• Dr. David Trump Tick Born Disease Flyer
• Presentation by Dr. Samuel Shor
• Video Presentation by Dr. Samuel Shor
• Letter from the Virginia Department of Health
• Ticks and Tick-Born Diseases in Loudoun County 
• Lyme Forum Presentation by Dr. Goodfriend (05/03/10)  
• Loudoun Lyme Proclamation
• Presentation from Lyme Disease Awareness Event at Centerville High School
• Loudoun County Tick Brochure
• Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease in Fairfax County
• Protecting Yourself from Disease Carrying Insects
• Fight the Bite 2009 - 2010 Calendar
• Watch "Under Our Skin"

Related Documents

• I participated in the Loudoun Lyme Commission’s forum to raise awareness about this local issue.  Click here to read my remarks.
• Click here to learn more about the commission’s work.
• I attended a hearing hosted by Rep. Chris Smith on the challenges in diagnosing and managing Lyme disease.  Click here for a video of the hearing and written testimonies from the witnesses. 
• I asked Dr. Frances Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, to share with me what NIH is doing to address Lyme disease.
• Virginia Task Force on Lyme Disease Final Report- I encouraged Governor McDonnell to create Virginia's first ever Lyme disease task force. 
• As a direct result of the language I added to the FY 2010 bill that funds NIH and the CDC, the Institute of Medicine held a two day conference on Lyme and other tick borne diseases.
  • Workshop Report: Critical Needs and Gaps in Understanding Prevention, Amelioration, and Resolution of Lyme and other Tick-borne Diseases: The Short-Term and Long-Term Outcomes
  • View the Webcast of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies Workshop
• The Boy Scouts of America: Support for Increased Lyme Disease Awareness
• August 2008 Lyme Forum Q&A

Letters

• Response from the CDC to January 26 Letter (4/14/2010)
• Letter to the CDC (1/26/2010)
• Leesburg Today: Federal Help Coming for Lyme Disease(7/31/2009) 
• Cosigned by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ) asking that Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hold Congressional hearings on Lyme disease (3/17/2009)
• To HHS Inspector General Levinson on CDC Recognition of IDSA Treatment Guidelines (9/4/2008)

In the News

• NPR: Lyme Disease Far More Common Than Previously Known (8/19/2013)
• The Boston Globe: When the 'cure' doesn't end the pain (8/18/2013)
• Leesburg Today: Loudoun Lyme Program Wins Statewide Recognition (8/1/2013)
  The Boston Globe: Researchers face big challenges as they strive for vaccine (7/14/2013)
• The Boston Globe: A minuscule foe; a massive Public health challenge (7/14/2013)
• Yahoo News: Northern Virginia Counties Step Up To Raise Lyme Disease Awareness (7/24/2013)
• Fairfax Times: Taking the mystery out of Lyme disease (7/11/2013)
• The Boston Globe: Lyme isn't the only tick borne illness; Researchers find new bacterium (7/2/2013)
• The New Yorker: The Lyme Wars (7/1/2013)
• Gov. McDonnell signs Lyme disease legislation at Loudoun County park (6/25/2013)
• WTOP: Northern Va. begins annual battle against Lyme disease, West Nile virus (6/6/2013)
• Leesburg Today: Students Tell of Lyme's Impact in the Classroom(5/10/2013)
• Washington Post: With arrival of spring, Loudoun ramps up Lyme campaign (4/22/2013)
• Loudoun Times: 'Loudoun Targets Lyme' arrives (4/15/2013)
• WTOP: Tick tips: Don't use a match, use tweezers (4/17/2013)
• Loudoun Times: Lyme Disease information bill to become law(3/18/2013)
• Richmond Times-Dispatch: Va. now must disclose the flaws in Lyme disease testing (2/26/2013)
• Northern Virginia Daily: Expect fallout from acorn explosion (10/23/2012)
• WTOP: Why you need to get rid of acorns (10/10/2012)
• Doctors Change Treatment Recommendations for Lyme Disease(9/25/2012)  Watch the VIDEO report.
• Leesburg Today: Commission Recommends Targeted Tick Spraying(9/6/2012)
• Washington Post: Lyme disease can afflict dogs as well as humans(8/27/2012)
• CQ Today: Lyme Legislation Gains Support as Experts Predict Rise in the Disease (6/1/2012)
• Leesburg Today: Doctors Seek Better Lyme Strategy (5/9/2012)
• Fauquier Times-Democrat: Ticks are out in force (4/13/2012)
• Editorial in Leesburg Today (4/06/2012)
• Leesburg Today: Lyme: Fighting the Disease By Spreading the Word(4/4/2012)
• Pink Deer Alert in Fairfax County as part of plan to fight ticks(3/26/2012)
• Loudoun supervisors initiate Lyme Disease awareness campaign(3/20/2012)
• The Downside of a Balmy Winter? Long Walks With the Dog Aren’t Carefree (3/18/2012)
• Lyme Disease Surge Predicted for the Northeastern U.S.(3/15/2012)
• With a decrease in acorns will come a surge in Lyme disease says ecologist (3/15/2012)
• WTOP.com: Study: D.C. region at highest risk for Lyme Disease(2/1/2012)
• Loudoun Times Mirror: State Lyme Disease Task Force to hold first meeting in Loudoun (11/18/10)
• Leesburg Today: Federal Help Coming for Lyme Disease(7/31/2009)
• The Money Times: Lyme Disease Cases on the Rise, Cause Alarm(7/31/2009)
• Centre View Northern Edition: Victims Share Stories on Lyme Disease Effects (7/30/2009)
• Washington Post: Lyme Disease Cases Rising, Causing Alarm(7/30/2009)
• Herndon Connection Editorial: Emphasis on Lyme Well Placed(7/29/2009)
• Fairfax Times: Residents Grapple With Lyme Disease (7/28/2009)
• Vienna Connection: Wolf Pushes for Lyme Disease Funding(7/24/2009)
• Loudoun Times: Loudoun's Lyme Epidemic (5/13/2009)
• Washington Post: Spring Also Brings Lyme Ticks (4/26/2009)
• Winchester Star: Lyme Disease Incidents are Rising in Area(4/16/2009)
• Washington Post: Cases of Lyme Disease Soar in Our Area(4/8/2009)