Lyme Disease, according to the National Center for Disease Control, is easily treated with antibiotics and fairly rare, with only 7.8 cases per 100,000 people in the U.S. So, why is it suddenly so worthy of Mitt Romney’s attention?

No, really, we’d love to know.

The Washington Post reports that the Romney campaign is sending out mailers in Virginia pledging support of the “massive epidemic” that is Lyme Disease. Sorry cancer; quit your whining, Alzheimer’s. Romney is pushing you aside in favor of a a disease so threatening that it is easily avoided using insect repellant with DEET, and is non-fatal and cured with antibiotics. But he’s
worried enough to send a flyer…

See a photo of the mailer here.

Think Progress suspects that the connection between Romney and Lyme Disease is Michael Farris, the founder of both the ultra-Conservative Home School Legal Defense organization and the unaccredited Bible school Patrick Henry College. He is also a leading expert on Lyme Disease, probably the same way your mom knows all about gall bladder surgery — Googling and that Dr. Oz show.

In addition to denying evolutionary science, Michael Farris counters the CDC’s claim that “Chronic Lyme Disease” is a made up thing. Farris claims his wife and children suffer from this “disease” and he is hard at work to end it.

The Washington Post reports that Farris, an influential Evangelical, was also a critic of Romney’s until the two met and discussed Lyme Disease. Farris is now more positive about Romney. No word on whether Romney put out the mailer simply to please Farris and get a boost with evangelicals.

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Image: Brian Rawson Ketchum