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                         May 3, 2002

Lyme Disease: Still a real threat

Part 1: Understanding, recognizing and preventing Lyme

By Irene Brown
Editor

Diseases are funny things. Sometimes it seems like they compete against one another in an attempt to be in the spotlight.

Since Sept. 11, the infectious diseases used in biological weapons are the newsmakers. A few years back, though, Lyme disease was the big fear on people’s minds. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone away.

The number of new cases of Lyme disease has reached record levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The carrier is the common tick, in particular the deer tick. The CDC reported 22,730 new cases of Lyme disease in 2001, an 8 percent increase over the previous year. And now Department of Health officials in both Orange and Dutchess counties are warning that other tick-borne illnesses could be on the rise.

The black-legged or deer tick can transmit Lyme, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, the three most common local tick-borne diseases. While Lyme is the most pervasive, the other diseases are also present, officials said.

"Very often, the people who are the sickest are what we call co-infected," Orange County Health Department officials explained.

A study in 1996 by the Institute of Ecosystems in Millbrook found 71 percent of deer ticks in Dutchess County had only Lyme disease, 27 percent had Earlichiosis and 53 percent had both. Health officials in Orange County said the numbers are probably the same -- if not a little higher -- for their area.

"Approximately 8 percent of all cases nationwide are from Orange County," officials said.

The early symptoms of Lyme are similar to many diseases. It mimics the flu, with the exception of a rash in the area where the infected tick bit the skin and drew blood. If the disease persists without proper medical treatment, it can be devastating. Lyme disease can spread to major organs. The only remedy is early detection and treatment, usually with antibiotics.

Health officials recommend that people living in statistically-high or moderate Lyme disease areas, such as Orange County -- to include West Point -- familiarize themselves with the symptoms of Lyme disease.

- Some people may develop a red circular "bulls-eye" rash at the site of the bite. This rash can develop as late as 30 days after the bite. The rash usually begins as a small red spot that expands to a diameter ranging from 1 to 18 inches. The rash may have a bright red border and a pale central area that is warm to the touch.

- Other early symptoms may resemble the flu including fatigue, nausea, muscle and joint pain and swelling, fever, headache and dizziness.

- Later symptoms may include chronic neurological, heart and joint problems.

The techniques for reducing ticks around the home are based on the biology of the tick. Ticks live in damp woodlands and feed on mice and deer. Reducing their ability to live well reduces the likelihood of getting Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases.

- Create a ‘’tick-safe zone’’ around the perimeter of your lawn. A three-foot swath of wood chips works well.

- Clear low brush, vines and leaves yearly. Thin tree branches that hang over the lawn.

- Cut the grass frequently. Ticks can’t survive in sunny, well-clipped lawns.

- Locate mailboxes, sheds, picnic tables, swing sets and other things used by the family in the sun away from the woods.

- Restrict groundcover, such as pachysandra, to areas of the yard not used frequently.

- To reduce rodent habitats, seal cracks in foundations, screen areas under porches, place woodpiles and bird feeders far from the house and maintain stone walls.

- To inhibit deer from entering your yard, don’t plant flowers and shrubs that deer like to eat and consider erecting a fence. Never put feed out for wildlife.

- Some deer-resistant plantings include alyssum, dusty miller, forget-me-not, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, sage, spiderflower, verbena, vinca, beebalm, bleeding heart, catmint, columbine, foxglove, goldenrod, lady’s mantle, lamb’s ears, lavender, lily of the valley, mayapple, mint, monkshood, oregano, poppy, rhubarb, Russian sage, silvermound, thyme, yarrow, daffodil, hens and chicks, hyacinths, iris, ornamental chives and snowdrops.

- Avoid tick-infested areas where feasible (areas of grassy vegetation near deciduous forest.

- In tick-infested areas, wear light-colored clothing to make the ticks easier to see and brush off.

- Tuck pants into socks to prevent ticks from reaching skin.

- Carefully check for ticks at the end of any day in which you have been outdoors. Parents should examine their children’s skin carefully for tick at the end of each day that their children have played outdoors.

- Routinely check pets for ticks.

- As soon as possible, remove ticks that have attached to the skin. To properly remove an attached tick, grasp the tick’s mouth parts with tweezers or forceps as close as possible to the attachment (skin) site and pull upward and out with a firm and steady pressure. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash hands.

- See or call a doctor if there is concern about incomplete removal. Transmission of Lyme disease is less likely if the tick is properly removed within 24 hours of attachment.

Editor’s note: Some resources used to research this article include The Center for Disease Control, the Lyme Disease Information Center (www.findinfo.com/lyme.htm) and the American Lyme Disease Foundation (www.aldf.com).

Researchers are developing a detailed understanding of Lyme disease and the ticks that transmit it, but many myths remain. The following are some of the more common myths:

Myth: Ticks drop from trees or jump from nearby bushes to attack would-be hosts.

Fact: Ticks do not jump, nor do they climb far above ground level. They will position themselves on low-hanging brush and grab hold of passing animals.

Myth: If avoiding ticks, trails are safer than open woods.

Fact: While wide, manicured paths may be less populated with ticks than dense forest undergrowth, any vegetation can hold ticks. Narrow paths are no exception.

Myth: Tall, grassy fields harbor the most ticks.

Fact: The black-legged tick likes forests, where its hosts spend most of their time. While it’s not unusual to find ticks in lawns or fields, they are far more abundant in forests.

Myth: White clothing somehow repels ticks.

Fact: Experts do recommend wearing light clothing, but that’s because the black ticks can be more easily spotted. Daily tick checks, both on the day of and the day after an outdoor excursion, are among the best ways to avoid getting Lyme disease.

Pulling socks over pants cuffs is also recommended to keep ticks from crawling under clothing -- but don’t stretch the socks too thin or tiny ticks will pass through holes in the fabric. Insect repellent can also be used to repel ticks.

Myth: Smothering ticks with petroleum jelly or burning them off with matches is an effective way of removing attached ticks.

Fact: Experts recommend grabbing the mouth-parts of ticks with tweezers as close as possible to the skin and pulling straight out. Removing the whole tick, including mouth-parts, is important. If done within 24 to 48 hours of being bit, infection can often be avoided.