WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Recent rains and standing water may make mosquitoes a concern, but Delaware health officials say the state also has one the nation's highest rates of Lyme disease.
Dr. Awe Maduka-Ezeh, the state's Public Health Medical Director, tells WDEL-AM that there are many reasons for the tick influx. She says the state has many parks and forests and a large population of deer, which are the natural hosts for the ticks that carry the disease.
Maduka-Ezeh adds there's a common misconception that only outdoor enthusiasts need to be vigilant. She says it's possible for people to be exposed to Lyme around their own homes, especially if they have pets that bring the ticks indoors with them.
