Sturbridge Lyme Awareness of MA

​​"Tog​ether we can make a difference"

Happy Holidays!
Lyme test negative? It may still be Lyme disease!

​​Far too many people suspect Lyme disease but testing comes back negative when in fact it's positive and because current testing is known to be faulty, many go undiagnosed. 

​​Lyme disease should be clinically diagnosed based on a persons symptoms and doctors should not rely on test results as these tests were developed for surveillance not diagnostic purposes.

Many patients are told their illness is "all in your head" or "you already had treatment for Lyme you can't still be sick."  It's up to you to educate yourself, advocate and seek the treatment you will need.

What is Lyme?
​​Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacteria are transmitted through the bite of a black legged tick, commonly called the deer tick.

Ticks can transmit other bacteria and viruses know as co-infections such as Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) to name just a few.

The bacteria can also be passed through the placenta of a pregnant woman to the fetus – congenital transmission.

* According to the CDC only 10% of actual cases are reported.