HEALTH BEAT 3-1-1999

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts March 1999
March 1999
Short Cuts:
HEALTH BEAT

Worth a shot: The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a vaccine against Lyme disease, the tick-borne illness that causes symptoms ranging from fatigue, headache and rash to arthritis, nervous-system disfunctions and even heart problems. The vaccine, developed by SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, can be used by people between the ages of 15 and 70. It’s given in three doses: The initial dose, a second dose a month later, then a third 12 months after the first. The duration of immunity is unknown, as is the need for boosters, according to a report on the vaccine released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Shot or no, the CDC recommends these preventative measures: Avoid tick habitats (woodsy or grassy areas, primarily in the Northeast, North Central states and northern California), wear protective clothing, use tick repellents and promptly remove attached ticks.