Tina J. Garcia

544 South Solomon Street

Mesa, Arizona  85204

480-830-2788

May 23, 2005

Susan Gerard, Director

Arizona Department of Health Services

150 North 18^th Avenue, Suite 500

Phoenix, Arizona  85007

            Re:      Misuse of the CDC Case Surveillance Definition

                        for Reporting Cases of Lyme Disease

Dear Ms. Gerard:

            Enclosed please find a copy of my recent letter to Senators Jon Kyl and John McCain.  Please be so kind as to forward to me copies of the most current documentation provided to your agency by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Department of Health and Human Services advising that the CDC Case Surveillance Definition is only for reporting cases of Lyme disease and is not to be used for diagnosing or providing treatment for this illness.

            In addition, please provide me with copies of this same information which has been disseminated by your agency to Arizona County Health Departments, physicians and laboratories.

            Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing from you.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                Tina J. Garcia

:tjg

Enclosure