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Pediatric Lyme Disease—‘An Epidemic Within a Pandemic!’—to be Focus of Free Webinar Hosted by Quidel Corporation Oct. 21
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Among the many health challenges facing children is the very real threat of contracting Lyme disease as nearly 30% of the
About this update from Quidelortho Corporation
[{"type":"text","content":" SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nAmong the many health challenges facing children is the very real threat of contracting Lyme disease as nearly 30% of the estimated 476,000 people in the U.S. each year who are diagnosed and treated for this disease are ages 0-19. In response to this troubling fact, an important webinar focused on how Lyme disease affects the pediatric population will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21.\n\nThe free webinar—titled Pediatric Lyme Disease: “An Epidemic Within a Pandemic!”—is part of an ongoing series hosted by Quidel, the California-based diagnostic health care manufacturer known for successfully developing rapid diagnostic health solutions. The program is being held in collaboration with the Global Lyme Alliance. Registration is now available at http://education.quidel.com/frontmatter/2591/1/Ped-Lyme.\n\nConducting the webinar will be Robert A. Dracker, M.D., medical director at Summerwood Pediatrics and Infusacare Medical Services in Liverpool, New York. Dr. Dracker currently serves as chair of the heart, lung and cancer committee for the Medical Society of New York State and is a board member of the Office of Professional Conduct for the New York State Department of Health. Since 2014 he has been a member of the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the FDA and served as chairman of the committee from 2018-2019.\n\nThe Oct. 21 webinar will discuss how Lyme disease presents in children (often flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, malaise and headache), how it progresses and tick-exposure management. Also discussed will be how to test for Lyme disease, including the innovative Sofia® 2 Lyme FIA test. This revolutionary test provides the patient and physician with indicative results within 15 minutes, as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm (and during which time organisms can spread and become systemic). It can be performed in the privacy of a doctor’s office or local clinic, and it is the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood.\n\n“Children, for the most part, are more engaged on a regular basis than are adults in outside activities, which is why being on guard and testing for Lyme disease is so important,” said Dr. Dracker. “If left untreated, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease can attack many systems of a child’s body, including the skin, heart, nerves and j...