The year 2013 was the worst one for new cases of Lyme disease ever recorded by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite a long, tough winter, the deer ticks that spread this disease show no sign of abating.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and the past few weeks have underscored the importance of educating Mainers about the disease as the weather has warmed and ticks have emerged.

Chances are good that someone in your life has been impacted by this debilitating disease. New cases of Lyme disease have grown from 108 in 2001 to nearly 1,400 cases reported last year — the most ever recorded in Maine. Those who have the disease suffer from a range of serious symptoms that include joint and muscle pain, severe fatigue, neurological problems and others.

To make the challenge even worse, Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose and treat. A negative result on a Lyme disease test does not necessarily mean that Lyme disease is not present. Once diagnosed, some patients do not respond to the standard treatment regimen, making it critically important that doctors and patients alike are aware of alternatives.

Last year, I sponsored a bill to increase the public’s access to information on Lyme disease, its symptoms and available treatment options. The bill is now law, and it requires health care providers who order laboratory tests to detect the presence of Lyme disease to provide the patient with a copy of the results.

It also expands the information available on the Maine Center for Disease Control’s Web site regarding Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, helping citizens access information that will allow them to best advocate for themselves as patients and giving health care professionals easy access to a range of resources to most effectively treat the disease.

I submitted this bill in response to the concerns of constituents who have struggled with the repercussions of Lyme disease as patients themselves or as loved ones who have watched their spouses or children suffer.

In each of their situations, the challenges of diagnosing and treating Lyme disease exacerbated the costs of the illness, both in terms of health-care costs and suffering. Their strength and desire to prevent others from struggling as they have were inspiring.

In addition to these brave constituents, I had the opportunity to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle who saw the need for action in the face of this serious public health issue. We heard from more Mainers who have suffered a great deal from this disease and have faced similar challenges in receiving an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

Their stories emphasized the need to increase access to information on Lyme disease for everyone who is touched by it.

We can take important steps to protect ourselves from Lyme’s devastating effects. The ticks that carry the disease are present throughout the state, meaning all Mainers should take measures to avoid and repel ticks and learn how to properly extract a tick that is embedded in the skin.

If a person has been tested for Lyme disease, be sure your health care provider presents you with a copy of the results as required by law. Knowledge is power in the fight against Lyme disease.

More information is available on the Maine Center for Disease Control website and by connecting with the advocacy groups in our state that work to prevent Lyme disease and help those who suffer from it. People can use these and other resources to educate themselves regarding the disease and its treatment.

Mainers who suffer from Lyme disease and their loved ones need access to the best resources available to overcome its effects and get back to their work and their families. By increasing access to information, we can work together to combat the devastating impact of Lyme disease.

Rep. Sheryl Briggs, D-Mexico, is serving her fourth consecutive term in the House of Representatives. She is a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

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