HOWARD COUNTY lived in blissful oblivion to the danger of deer ticks until the mid-1970s, when Lyme disease was first associated with the tiny insects. It was about that time that West Friendship veterinarian Wendy Feaga first suspected she had the tick-borne disease.
"The disease is pretty prevalent," Feaga said. "A lot of people have it and don't know it."
While the name of the affliction is now commonly known, the disease remains somewhat a mystery to doctors and victims alike. Pinhead-sized deer ticks are the primary carriers of Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that is fairly common in the Northeast. That much is known. But, Feaga says, there is no definitive blood test, and many doctors are reluctant to treat people who think they have it.
Lyme disease can also be difficult to diagnose because some of the symptoms mimic other diseases. A common first symptom of the infection is a bull's-eye rash, but not every victim shows this symptom. Other warning signs include joint and muscle pains, headache, fever and fatigue.
Luckily, the disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics in its early stages. But if left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to serious illnesses -- heart disease, arthritis and others. The frustrating disease has left Feaga struggling for years to get symptoms under control. Initial tests came back negative and treatment was delayed.
"I wish the medical community would wake up to how hard this is to treat," Feaga said.
Feaga says that ticks are around most of the year. "About the only month you don't see them is August," she said.
In 1999, an all-time high of 89 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Howard County, according to statistics compiled by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Lower numbers in recent years may reflect weather trends -- or successful prevention methods. In 2000, there were 64 reported cases in the county; 68 were reported in 2001.
To avoid becoming one of those statistics, steer clear of ticks. Here are some tips:
Keep your lawn clipped short and your yard free of brush and tall grass.
Wear light-colored clothing with long-sleeved shirts and pants tucked into your socks when walking through tick-infested areas. Insect repellent may help, too.
Inspect for ticks when you have been outside. Check along you hairline, in your hair and ears, and around openings in your clothing.
While not all tick bites result in the disease, anyone who has been bitten by a tick should be on the lookout for a bull's-eye rash or other symptoms. If you find a tick, remove it immediately. Studies show that a tick must be attached to a person for at least 24 hours to transmit the infection.
After removing the tick, it's a good idea to keep it in a jar labeled with the date you discovered it. If symptoms develop, you may want to have the tick checked to confirm the diagnosis.
A Lyme disease vaccine was pulled off the market this year by the manufacturer. The vaccine, which required three doses over a period of 13 months, was said to have low sales. Feaga says there is a vaccine available for dogs; they can have the same symptoms as people.
"The dog is a good model for human Lyme disease," Feaga said. No vaccine has been developed for cats.
Satisfied siblings
When it comes to sibling rivalry, Sean and Kaitlin Skelly have things under control.
When Sean's eighth-grade English class was studying Shakespeare, his English teacher, Erin Dantzler, gave him an assignment: Write a sonnet to a book or movie.
Sean chose to praise the popular Harry Potter books. His poem, "Harry Potter," presents a look at the young wizard and his cohorts.
The poem got Dantzler's attention, and she recommended that he submit it to a poetry contest for young people in grades four through 12 sponsored by Creative Communication, a publisher. So Sean's mom, Maureen Skelly, submitted it. After she sent it in, Skelly said, "Kate wanted to do the same."
Sixth-grade sister Kaitlin was not going to be left in the dust. She had recently completed a poetry unit in her English class, so she decided to submit a poem she had written, called "My brother, Sean, is."
Kaitlin's poem describes Sean as everything from "A pesky bug that won't go away" to "A light guiding my way." Surely a poem like that deserves an award, and Kaitlin received a certificate and letter of acceptance in the mail.
But what about Sean?
"It was a bit of a nail-biter at our house once we got Kate's acceptance letter," Maureen said. But Sean's letter had been sent to the school; he had been named a contest winner, too.
"We were relieved and elated to find out both of their poems were chosen to be published," Skelly said. The poems will be included in a poetry anthology.
Sean, 15, recently graduated from Lime Kiln Middle School and will attend River Hill High School in the fall. Kaitlin, 12, will be a seventh-grader at Lime Kiln.
Breaking ground
The community is invited to attend groundbreaking ceremonies Sunday for a new religious education and all-purpose building at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Poplar Springs.
The ceremonies will begin with Mass at 10 a.m., with a social gathering of the St. Michael's Parish community to follow. Bishop W. Francis Malooly of the Baltimore Archdiocese will preside.
The church's monthly breakfast will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
St. Michael's is at 1125 St. Michael's Road.
Information: Beverly Shaffer, 410-442-1717.