published Sunday, May 20th, 2012

Tick-borne illnesses soar in Tennessee

Follow us on Twitter for the latest breaking news

Her parents never saw a tick or any indication of a bite, but 7-year-old Kaitlyn Stetzer spent almost a week in the hospital with what doctors believe is Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

She came home from the hospital Saturday.

“Thanks so much for all the prayers — please keep praying for Kaitlyn,” her father, the Rev. Ed Stetzer, wrote on his blog.

The Hendersonville girl is among several Middle Tennessee residents who have gotten sick with the fever — a tick-borne illness that is more widespread this spring. As of mid-May, 74 confirmed cases have occurred statewide — a threefold increase from the same period a year ago. Six of those cases are in Davidson County, and 15 are in the counties surrounding Nashville. The Tennessee Department of Health is urging people to take precautions against exposure and to recognize signs of the illness.

Read more at The Tennessean.

related articles »

Sept. 6th, 2012

The parents of 7-year-old Sierra Jane Downing thought she had the flu when she felt sick days after camping in ...

Aug. 14th, 2012

One thing wrong with writing on medical topics is that you can never cover a subject in one column, and ...

May 3rd, 2012

Call it the invasion of the creepy, crawly -- and potentially lethal -- monsters.

Oct. 24th, 2011

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Researchers at the University of Tennessee are downplaying the danger of Lyme disease in the state.

videos »         

photos »         

e-edition »

advertisement
advertisement

Find a Business

400 East 11th St., Chattanooga, TN 37403
General Information (423) 756-6900
Copyright, permissions and privacy policy, Ethics policy - Copyright ©2013, Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc.