A University of Iowa study says illnesses caused by tick bites may beunder-reported in Iowa. U-of-I Microbiologist Tom Gahan saysdoctors may be overlooking two types of tick-borne illnesses called H-G-Eand H-M-E. Gahan says they started the study after seeing more reports ofthe diseases in the surrounding states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri.Gahan says the tick-borne lyme disease has gotten a lot of attention while H-G-E and H-M-E have gone unnoticed. He says this study aims to correctthat.He says many Iowans could be catching the disease outside the state.Gahan says H-G-E and H-M-E can cause as many problems as lyme disease.Gahan hopes the study makes doctors look at all the possibilies whendiagnosing a tick-borne disease.
