They'retinyinsectsthatcancausebigproblems.AriseinthenumberofticksthisyearhasinfectiousdiseaseexpertsfocusedonthebestwaytotreattheLymediseasethatthelittlebuggerscanspread.
小虫子却能引起大麻烦。今年,随着硬蜱数量大量上升,传染病专家开始关注控制由这种小虫传染的莱姆病的最佳应对方法。
Some20,000Americansareinfectedandtreatedeveryyear,butcountlessothersgoundiagnosed.Theillnesshassymptomsthatincludefever,fatigueandheadaches,butifleftuntreated,Lymediseasecanbemoreserious.
每年有大约两万名美国人感染莱姆病并被治愈,但仍有不计其数的人没能确诊。莱姆病症状包括发烧、疲惫和头痛,但若不加以治疗,将产生更严重的后果。
Whiletherearephysicalsymptomsofthediseasethatcanincludesevereheadaches,severejointpainandevennumbnessinthehandsorfeet,manyexpertsbelieveLymediseasecanrewirethehumanbrainandaffectpersonality.
尽管这种疾病的生理表现多为严重头痛、剧烈关节痛以及手脚麻木,许多专家相信,莱姆病还会改写人的大脑,从而影响病人的性格。
"I'mconvincedthatLymeinachronicformcanaffectpsychiatricissues,neurologicalissuesandyoucanhaveneurologicalproblems,"NewYorkepidemiologistDr.DanielCameronsaid.
“我相信慢性莱姆病会影响神经和精神,从而让人产生神经问题。”纽约传染病学家丹尼尔.卡梅隆博士说。
TheCenterforDiseaseControlandPreventionnotesthatupto5percentofpatients"maydevelopchronicneurologicalcomplaintsmonthstoyearsafterinfection."
美国疾控中心发现,有5%的病人“在感染数月或数年后可能出现慢性精神问题”。