Arkansas health officials say two cases of Lyme disease have been confirmed in the state.
Lyme disease is uncommon in Arkansas, where other tick-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever are more prevalent. The state says it’s the first time in 10 years that a Lyme disease case has been confirmed in Arkansas.
State epidemiologist Dirk Haselow says doctors and patients should still consider diagnoses other than Lyme disease first, noting that the illness remains rare in the state.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is most common in the Northeast. Before the two confirmed cases announced this week, Arkansas had reported just one Lyme disease case over the past 12 years.
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