Among the many health challenges facing children is the very real threat of contracting Lyme disease as nearly 30% of the estimated 476,000 people in the U.S. each year who are diagnosed and treated for this disease are ages 0-19. In response to this troubling fact, an important webinar focused on how Lyme disease affects the pediatric population will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21.

The free webinar-titled Pediatric Lyme Disease: 'An Epidemic Within a Pandemic!'-is part of an ongoing series hosted by Quidel, the California-based diagnostic health care manufacturer known for successfully developing rapid diagnostic health solutions. The program is being held in collaboration with the Global Lyme Alliance. Registration is now available at .

Conducting the webinar will be Robert A. Dracker, M.D., medical director at Summerwood Pediatrics and Infusacare Medical Services in Liverpool, New York. Dr. Dracker currently serves as chair of the heart, lung and cancer committee for the Medical Society of New York State and is a board member of the Office of Professional Conduct for the New York State Department of Health. Since 2014 he has been a member of the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the FDA and served as chairman of the committee from 2018-2019.

The Oct. 21 webinar will discuss how Lyme disease presents in children (often flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, malaise and headache), how it progresses and tick-exposure management. Also discussed will be how to test for Lyme disease, including the innovative Sofia(R) 2 Lyme FIA test. This revolutionary test provides the patient and physician with indicative results within 15 minutes, as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm (and during which time organisms can spread and become systemic). It can be performed in the privacy of a doctor's office or local clinic, and it is the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood.

'Children, for the most part, are more engaged on a regular basis than are adults in outside activities, which is why being on guard and testing for Lyme disease is so important,' said Dr. Dracker. 'If left untreated, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease can attack many systems of a child's body, including the skin, heart, nerves and joints. While each child is different, to a tick they are all the same and are all just waiting to be bitten. Parents need to be vigilant, and physicians need to be attuned so children can enjoy the wonderment of being a child while remaining safe and smart.'

Among those expected to attend the webinar are pediatricians, representatives of physician office laboratories, urgent care centers, and any other allied health professionals or health care researchers interested in hearing the latest regarding the prevalence of Lyme disease in children. The free, Oct. 21, webinar will take place from noon to 1 p.m. (EDT). To register, visit .

About Quidel Corporation

Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic solutions at the point of care, delivering a continuum of rapid testing technologies that further improve the quality of health care throughout the globe. An innovator for over 40 years in the medical device industry, Quidel pioneered the first FDA-cleared point-of-care test for influenza in 1999 and was the first to market a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the U.S. Under trusted brand names, Sofia(R), Solana(R), Lyra(R), Triage(R) and QuickVue(R), Quidel's comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19. With products made in America, Quidel's mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. For more information about Quidel, visit .

Jim Yeager