Lyme Disease Awareness Month, May 2019

Know the Facts, Share your Experiences

Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) supports #LymeDisease awareness

TLI highlights the importance of increased education and awareness about Lyme disease and urges the public to use #LymeDisease for sharing information about this vector-borne disease.

Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies, and blackflies.

According to the American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc., Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria that is carried through deer ticks. An infected tick can transmit the disease through bites. If left untreated, the bacteria travels through the bloodstream, establishes itself in various body tissue, and can cause a number of symptoms.

What to Look For

Lyme disease can start with mild, easily overlooked symptoms, the first being a rash. The rash is usually not painful or itchy, making it hard to spot if the bite is in an inconspicuous area. Other symptoms include achiness, headaches, tingling or numbness in extremities, abnormal pulse, sore throat and changes in vision.

Innovative Research

Thanks to philanthropic support for transformative research that improves health outcomes, TLI Research Fellow, Dr. Marna Ericson, is closer to identifying effective, specific and sensitive diagnostics for and treatment of debilitating diseases, such as Lyme disease and a common co-infection Bartonella.

This is vital research since the current testing for these diseases is unreliable, often leaving those who are infected without a diagnosis or treatment.

Current tests rely solely on blood testing and often fail to consistently detect infection in the patient over time. In fact, some military personnel deployed in the Middle East were likely exposed to Bartonella but were never diagnosed. Veterans are often plagued with mental health problems, such as insomnia, anxiety, and depression – symptoms that are also common with these vector-borne diseases.

Enhancing TLI Partnerships

TLI’s expanded partnerships with academia and community organizations will make available new testing, treatment and the development of standard care guidelines for vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease.

This body of research complements our other collaborative partnerships throughout the country to address issues related to health, education and economic empowerment. Collectively, these projects extend our mission to foster transformative change that improves the health and well-being outcomes of communities around the world

We invite every member of our constituency to become a partner or donor: contact the foundation.

About TLI Foundation:

TLI Foundation is a nonprofit foundation focused on driving innovative thinking and action on global issues relating to health, education and economic empowerment. The organization is committed to fostering transformative change and improving the health and well-being outcomes of communities around the world.