If you spend time outdoors and are not concerned about fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes, you need not read this. However, you are very foolish not to take note of a growing problem in the great outdoors.
The problem is Lyme disease and the consequences it can have for outdoor-minded folks. The disease is caused by a tick bite and it has become more common in recent years. I have written about this before but I see a lot of folks out enjoying nature or working outdoors who still aren’t getting the message.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria that is often carried by ticks. When a tick latches on to a human or other animal it transfers the bacteria to that host. The bite does not hurt and is not really noticed. The tick is more often noticed by its “tickling” as it crawls on your skin. It’s a very small invertebrate (think small insect), less than 1/4-inch for an adult and less than half that for the nymph stage — and thus difficult to spot. Ticks pick up the bacteria from feeding on mice that carry it and then transfer it to you when they bite. Deer are often hosts of the tick and as they travel around the ticks get knocked off or drop off, and later attach themselves to another mammal.
These ticks can be active even after a hard frost and are often the first to become active in early spring, searching for a host.
Once you have been bitten by an infected tick, a bullet-type rash may develop around the bitten area but not always, so you may not know you have been infected. The rash typically develops about a week after the bite. Early symptoms may include fatigue, fever and headache. If left untreated, repeated episodes of joint pain and swelling may occur and lead to other health issues. I have a friend who went through a period of undetected Lyme disease and still has issues because of it today.
Grassy and bushy areas are the worst for picking up a tick, and that is why people out hiking, photographing or just enjoying the great outdoors need to be aware of this disease danger.
Folks wearing shorts and sandals are most susceptible to picking up a tick. You may think this is a “wilderness” problem but it can be a backyard problem too. Folks living in the suburbs think they may be safe from this tick but most likely they could be more at risk as deer now are plentiful in these areas, attracted by the safety (no hunting) and all that lush vegetation. I know several homeowners who have does jump their backyard chainlink fences every year, they see fawns in their yards, and they probably have ticks too. A manicured lawn is a great place for ticks to survive. Pets that roam these yards can pick up ticks and bring them to you in the house. Working in your flower beds and even cutting the lawn can make you susceptible, too.
The key to not getting this Lyme disease is to take serious precautions. Being aware of the problem and where the ticks hang out is a start.
Next, you can wear long pants and high-top boots or hiking shoes, and tuck those pants into the boots, or put an elastic band around the bottom of each pant leg, to prevent ticks from getting underneath. Light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot any ticks, and when you get home, give yourself a good inspection in the shower.
I use a spray insect repellent, Permethrin by Sawyer (available at outdoor stores or online), on a set of pants I wear whenever I’m out in tick habitat. This repellent is supposed to work for up to six days or six washings. There are also treatments for pets that go outside; check with your veterinarian.
To kill unseen ticks on clothing after a field trip, put the clothing in a dryer on high for 10 minutes.
What do you do if you find a tick attached to you? Using tweezers, grab the tick just above your skin and slowly lift it straight up, being careful not to break off the head. If the head breaks off and remains in the skin, you can still get the bacteria, so dig it out. There is also a device, an Arctick Remover, that freezes the tick for easier removal. If the tick is engorged with blood you may want to see your doctor and get tested.
The same goes if you develop a rash. The name of the game here is to take care of matters as soon as possible to avoid future health issues.
There is no vaccine for Lyme disease but one is being worked on. Work is also being done on bait for mice that will kill the bacteria. Currently, Pennsylvania is seeing a lot of cases of Lyme disease, and the rate of infection is rising in New York.
There’s no reason to quit enjoying the great outdoors, just be aware of the problem and take steps to prevent it.
If you suspect you may have picked up the bacteria, get a check-up.