From Business Insider, July 9, 2015

By Dave Mosher

The US has an epidemic brewing within our borders, and the problem is much more serious than most people realize.

Lyme disease is spreading fast, and it only takes the bite of a poppy-seed-size tick to contract. Even after treatment, symptoms can be difficult to shake.

Those infected can develop severe, rheumatoid arthritis-like joint and muscle pain. Fatigue and neurological disorders — such as numbness, tingling, weakness, and cognitive impairment — can set in too.

Left untreated, infections can lead to brain inflammation or heart problems. At least a handful of such cases have proven fatal. READ MORE.