PROTECT YOURSELF FROM LYME DISEASE
During the warm summer months as people spend more time outdoors there is the potential to come into contact with the ticks that can carry and transmit Lyme disease. Iowa County Health Department would like to remind residents to routinely check for ticks after being outdoors. Prompt checking for and removal of ticks before they become embedded can prevent transmission of Lyme disease.
Deer ticks are the most common carrier of Lyme disease in Wisconsin. The highest density of deer ticks in Wisconsin is in the western half of the state. Lyme disease may cause symptoms affecting the skin, nervous system, heart and/or joints of an affected individual. Over 7,000 cases of the disease have been reported in Wisconsin since surveillance for Lyme disease began in 1980. Lyme disease is present in Iowa; in 2004 there were 7 cases of Lyme disease reported to public health.
Deer ticks are among the first ticks to become active in the spring and remain active (in various stages of the life cycle) until the first snow falls in the fall. The tick has three life stages, larvae, nymph, and adult. It takes two years to complete its lifecycle and during that time it feeds only three times. The immature stages feed on small rodents including the white-footed mouse. This is where the ticks pick up the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
Transmission of Lyme disease to humans occurs when the tick feeds. It takes a deer tick 24-48 hours of feeding time before they can transmit Lyme disease. In Wisconsin, about 15-20% of adult ticks and 7-9% of nymphs carry disease. Prevention of Lyme disease involves protecting yourself from exposure to ticks before they have the chance to transmit Lyme disease. The following suggestions are offered to protect yourself and your family from Lyme disease:
1) Conduct thorough tick checks on yourself, your children, and your pets after spending time outdoors. Ticks do not fly or jump onto their hosts. They wait atop grasses and other vegetation until an animal brushes against them. Then they cling to the skin, fir, or clothing. Remove any ticks you find as soon as possible.
2) Wear light colored clothing. This may not deter ticks, but it makes them easier to see.
3) Tuck pants into boots or socks, wear long-sleeved shirts, buttoned at the cuff.
4) Apply tick / insect repellant to pants, socks, and shoes. Products containing 30% DEET or permethrin are very effective in repelling deer ticks. If you use these types of products, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions on the label.
5) Walk in the center of mowed trails to avoid brushing up against vegetation.
6) In order to prevent build up of ticks keep grass mowed, remove brush, and prune trees. These methods lower humidity and allow more direct sunlight to dry the soil, which helps prevent ticks from becoming established. Deer ticks do not survive well in mowed areas. Remember that control of deer ticks in the outdoors is difficult. Fogging or spraying an area with insecticides are not a practical means of control. While several insecticides are labeled for outdoor tick control they are usually not effective in areas of tall grass, brush or wooded areas.
The mouthparts of a tick are shaped like tiny barbs. The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it with a tweezers as close to the skin as possible, and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Then wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to the bite site. If tweezers are not available, grasp the tick with a piece of tissue. Do not twist or jerk the tick because the head may remain embedded, which can lead to general infection at the bite site. If the head or mouthparts do break off, consult your doctor about removing them.
Adult ticks remain on deer and other mammals through the fall and winter. If you spend a lot of time outdoors during this period, be sure to check yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks. If you hunt or trap, check areas where you catch your game for ticks that may have fallen off.
For more information on Lyme disease, contact Iowa County Health Department at (608) 935-2810.
| Iowa County Health Department 207 W Parry St Dodgeville, WI 53533 608 935-2810 |
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Revised February 16, 2005. |