NBC4 Chief Meteorologist Dave Mazza shares personal experience with Lyme disease
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — NBC4 Chief Meteorologist Dave Mazza shared a personal update on his health during Thursday's newscasts in hopes of raising awareness and helping others.
Mazza, who has been part of the NBC4 family for more than a decade, revealed details about his experience with Lyme disease.
"It was something that I hope to never get again," Mazza said during the newscast about his recent unplanned time off from work. "Yes, bit by a tick. Not so great."
Lyme disease, which Mazza said doctors in the ER told him is on the rise in central Ohio, is a tick-borne illness that can lead to a range of symptoms affecting multiple systems in the body, according to Cleveland Clinic. It is caused by bacteria that is transmitted to people when a tick bites. Symptoms can include a red rash, fever, headache, body and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. People at risk for Lyme disease often spend time outdoors where ticks live, such as in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas.
By sharing his first-hand knowledge, Mazza, an outdoor enthusiast, hopes to shed light on the prevalence of Lyme disease and educate others about its symptoms, prevention, and treatment.
"I didn't know what was going on with me whatsoever, I had a fever when I left here, I felt very cold last Wednesday night after doing the 11, I felt normal other than that," Mazza told co-anchors, Jennifer Bullock and Jerod Smalley. "The fever just persisted and got worse, it felt like for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You know, they tell you to wait three days, usually the fever will break so, we went to the doctor Sunday and found out."
The longtime forecaster also shared he had a key symptom of the disease, which helped with his diagnosis.
"Thankfully, I started getting the rash too, which was great," Mazza said. "So, that's how we are able to figure it out."
According to the Mayo Clinic, a rash in the shape of a single circle that spreads around the tick bite is a common sign of Lyme disease, but does not happen in every case. The rash is usually not painful or itchy and can have a clear center like a target or bull's-eye. The website also noted the rash often feels warm to the touch.
In an interview, Dr. Joseph Gastaldo of Ohio Health also discussed the rise in Lyme disease cases in Ohio.
"I remember back in the day in medical school, I learned that Lyme was something we uncommonly saw in Ohio," Gastaldo said.
"That's not the case anymore, the reasons for that are likely related to the migration of the tick, we're seeing more of the ticks here, and I'm sure there's some type of connection to climate change and global warming."
Lyme disease resources: Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Ohio Department of Health