July 15, 2015

VCU hosts Twitter chat with tick bite-related illness expert on July 17

Use hashtag #VCUHealthChat to ask questions about the diagnosis and treatment of diseases carried by ticks in Virginia

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By Anne Dreyfuss
C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research

For many, the summer months are a time for hikes in the woods, gardening in the yard, and playing at parks. While activities in the outdoors are a great way to relax, have fun and get exercise, they also expose adventurers to deer ticks that carry infectious diseases such as Lyme.

Gonzalo Bearman, M.D., is a professor of medicine and chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. He will be available on Twitter this Friday to answer questions about the diseases carried by ticks in Virginia, how to diagnose tick-borne illnesses, treatment options that patients can expect and more.

Everyone is invited to sign into their Twitter accounts and join the conversation to have their questions answered by Bearman from 2 to 3 p.m. on July 17. Just remember to use the hashtag #VCUHealthChat when posting questions and comments.

Questions can be submitted in advance via Twitter using #VCUHealthChat and @VCUMedical on Twitter.