With Lyme disease being identified in record numbers throughout the country, a series of consumer-friendly infographics has been released by Quidel to help educate Americans on its characteristics, warning signs, seasonality and areas of prevalence. The infographics can be found at LymeDiseaseAnswers.com.

“Lyme disease afflicts nearly 480,000 Americans each year; so people are rightfully concerned about where it is most pervasive, how to avoid getting it, and what to do if you think you may have been bitten by an infected tick,” said Judi Tilghman, Ph.D., vice president of technology assessment at Quidel Corporation. “These infographics provide the information people are seeking in an easy-to-understand manner, and we encourage anyone who spends any time outdoors to educate themselves on this vitally important topic.”

One infographic, for example, displays the early warning signs of Lyme disease—which could include headache, fatigue, a bulls-eye rash and muscle aches—while a second infographic depicts such late-stage symptoms as nerve pain, shortness of breath, brain fog and heart palpitations. There is an infographic showing the relative sizes of the larva, nymph and adult ticks; while still another infographic illustrates the evolution of these ticks through spring, summer, fall and winter. There is also a map showing those states where various types of ticks are most prevalent.

Lyme disease can strike anyone of any age, especially those who spend time in wooded or grassy areas or who play sports on grass fields in high-risk areas of the country. The challenge is that unlike a mosquito bite where people know immediately if they have been bitten, deer ticks that may carry Lyme disease are tiny—the size of a poppy seed—and symptoms may not appear for two to six weeks. That makes it critically important that anyone who spends time outdoors in heavily wooded areas—hikers, hunters, campers—or travels to such places be particularly vigilant and educated.

Quidel is the diagnostic health care manufacturer behind the industry’s most rapid and reliable in-office test for Lyme disease, the 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.

In addition to the infographics, LymeDiseaseAnswers.com contains answers to frequently asked questions, the latest statistics and clinical research taking place regarding the disease, and links to additional resources on the subject. Also housed on the site is a series of attention-grabbing educational videos called “Quick Takes” that help consumers and health care professionals alike enhance their knowledge of Lyme disease by providing the information and up-to-the-minute data needed to confront this disease quickly and clearly.

About Quidel Corporation

Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic solutions at the point of care, delivering a continuum of rapid testing technologies that further improve the quality of health care throughout the globe. An innovator for over 40 years in the medical device industry, Quidel pioneered the first point-of-care test for influenza in 1999 and was the first to market a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the U.S. Under trusted brand names, Sofia®, Solana®, Lyra®, Triage® and QuickVue®, Quidel’s comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19. Quidel’s mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. For more information about Quidel, visit quidel.com.

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