OGDEN DUNE, Ind. (AP) — Health officials are warning residents in a northern
Indiana town along Lake Michigan to take steps to avoid a recent surge in
Lyme disease.
The Times of Munster reports Ogden Dunes residents attended a Town Hall
presentation on the illness Thursday.
Porter County communicable diseases nurse Jenny Harkel says Ogden Dunes and
nearby Beverly Shores have a high concentration of infected ticks that
spread Lyme disease.
State Department of Health epidemiologist Jennifer House says residents can
avoid joining the recent uptick in Lyme disease cases by avoiding overgrown
grass, thick brush and leaf litters and using insect repellent.
About half of the three dozen people at the meeting say they have the
disease, which if not promptly treated can cause arthritis, meningitis and
other illnesses.