As we start to enjoy the first taste of cool weather, we need to be careful of ticks when taking trips outdoors. Lyme disease is now the most prevalent arthropod-borne disease in the United States. Transmitted primarily by deer ticks, this disease can stay with you permanently if not caught soon enough.
Hikes in the woods and camping outdoors can be a great way for a family to spend time together. As the weather starts to cool off, and the afternoon rain showers lessen, we all need to dress carefully when venturing outdoors. Lyme disease is transmitted to humans and pets quite easily by the deer tick. Smaller than most ticks, deer ticks are only about one-tenth of an inch long when fully grown. Many people who are infected with this disease never even noticed the tick. The first symptoms to appear are usually an acute headache, backache, chills, and extreme tiredness. 75% of people will also develop a large round rash. Sometimes this rash will look like a bulls-eye, and it can easily be 2-3 inches in diameter.
If the infection is caught at this point it is treatable with tetracycline or penicillin. If not caught, over the next several months most patients will develop arthritis-like symptoms as well as weakness, numbness, and possibly even facial ticks. This disease may also lay dormant in the nervous system for years, and in extreme cases, may start to cause heart problems and paralysis. Early detection and prevention are the keys to warding off this dangerous disease.
If you ever develop a rash on your body after spending time outdoors or around a lot of animals, it is best to evaluated by a dermatologist or your primary care physician as soon as possible. There are tests that can be run to determine if you were infected, but these tests are not 100% correct. The key is prevention when going outdoors. If you are going to be in tick-infested areas like the woods, tall grass, or brush, be sure to wear long pants with high-cut socks, along with a long-sleeve shirt that has a snug collar and cuffs. DEET is the most effective repellent for ticks, and it works best when applied to our skin AND clothes. It is also important to look over your entire body after being exposed to areas with a lot of ticks. They have a tendency to attach to exposed areas, and my even hide in your hair.
For those people who spend a lot of time in tick-infested areas it is a good idea to be vaccinated. There is finally an effective vaccine for Lyme disease. For anyone who does a lot of recreational or occupational activities outdoors, it is now recommended that you be vaccinated to decrease the chances of developing Lyme disease. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that roughly 25,000 people are being infected each year in the United States.
For those people that like to travel, remember that the Mid-Atlantic and northeast areas of America are the most common areas to be infected. Even when you are on vacation you still have to protect yourself from this stubborn disease. We should return from vacation with pictures, memories, and momentos; leave the ticks in the woods, and you won’t have to worry about Lyme disease.