A disease which for decades has NOT impacted our area -- Lyme disease -- is present not only in the Adirondacks, but in our own backyard: Schroon Lake.

That’s the headline from Paul Smith’s College, as reported by our friends at the Adirondack Almanack. Scientists worked over the summer to collect data for the study.

On a personal note, we know of several folks across the US -- including one in Schroon – that has experienced first hand, how insidious this disease is.

For more info about the debilitating affect these headlines should jolt us all into taking ticks seriously. From Wikipedia:

"A meta-analysis published in 2005 found some patients with Lyme disease have fatigue, joint or muscle pain, and neurocognitive symptoms persisting for years, despite antibiotic treatment.[8] Patients with late stage Lyme disease have been shown to experience a level of physical disability equivalent to that seen in congestive heart failure.[142]

In dogs, a serious long-term prognosis may result in glomerular disease,[143] which is a category of kidney damage that may cause chronic kidney disease.[136] Dogs may also experience chronic joint disease if the disease is left untreated. However, the majority of cases of Lyme disease in dogs result in a complete recovery with, and sometimes without, treatment with antibiotics.[144][verification needed] In rare cases, Lyme disease can be fatal to both humans and dogs.[145]"

The headlines from the Paul Smith Study: Near the college -- The researchers found eight of 12 small mammals in Schroon Lake area tested positive. Outside of Saranac Lake: two of 22 small mammals tested positive for Lyme’s. In the past, researchers say, they didn't find deer ticks in high elevation areas. But now, according to the folks at Paul Smith, even places like Wilmington have the insects.

You can read the Adirondack Almanack story, here.