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White House says Bush was treated for Lyme disease a year ago

  • Story Highlights
  • White House: A rash Bush developed was treated and has not reappeared
  • The news was in an annual report on the president's health
  • Last month, Bush also had five non-cancerous growths removed from his colon
  • The president is in great shape, report says, and has impressively low body fat
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House disclosed Wednesday that President Bush was treated for Lyme disease last summer.

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President Bush rides with cyclist Lance Armstrong at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. A spokesman says it's "not uncommon" for Bush to get tick bites during his bike rides

The revelation is in an annual report on Bush's health that declares him "fit for duty." It shows that he was treated last August for symptoms "consistent with early, localized Lyme disease" without any reoccurrence.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel told CNN that it is "not uncommon" for Bush to get tick bites during his frequent bike rides. Lyme disease can be transmitted through the bite of a tick that carries the disease.

He said the president noticed he had a small rash in a "localized area" of his body last summer, and his doctors treated it.

"It's been resolved," Stanzel said. "He's had no reoccurrence and no other symptoms."

Stanzel said the disclosure was not made sooner because the rash wasn't serious enough to be revealed. "This was a rash and did not impact his duties, so it's being reported now," he said. Video Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta describe symptoms of Lyme disease »

During a colonoscopy last month, the president had five small growths removed from his colon, though his doctors said the growths were not cancerous.

The overall summary of the president's medical history, signed by all 11 doctors who have examined him over the past year, say he's in terrific health. Brig. Gen. Richard Tubb, the White House physician, and Dr. Kenneth Cooper, president of The Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, Texas, oversaw the examinations.

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Bush exercises six times a week, according to the report, and has an impressively low body-fat percentage of 16.6. His weight dropped four pounds from last year, down to 192.

While the president had to slightly rearrange his schedule after suffering flu-like symptoms at the Group of Eight Summit in Germany in June, the report says he has not "otherwise missed work due to illness since his last physical exam" in 2006. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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