Lyme & TBD Prevention

Tick bite prevention walking through the forest
Warning sign “beware of ticks” in infested area in the green woods with hikers

The most important thing you can do to avoid Lyme and other tick-borne diseases/conditions is tick bite prevention!  *The LDA does not make specific product recommendations or grant any warranties.

Suggestions you may consider for prevention include: 

Tick Bite Prevention Behavior:

  • Know where to expect ticks, and be aware in high risk habitats
  • Perform frequent, thorough tick checks
  • Wear light-colored clothes, long sleeves and long pants
  • Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants
  • Put clothes in dryer for 30 minutes to kill ticks that may be clinging to clothing
  • Shower soon after returning indoors
  • Be sure to tick check and protect pets too!
Tick bite prevention warning sign- hikers walking through the forest
Warning sign “beware of ticks” with hikers entering high risk tick habitat

Repellents: (Always follow manufacturer’s directions)

  • Check EPA registered products containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone for skin protection 
  • Check products containing Permethrin for treating clothing and gear
    An example: Sawyer Products, Inc.- www.sawyer.com or Insect Shield-www.insectshield.com
  • Check out clothes which protect against ticks
    An example: www.rynoskin.com

Read more information on repellents from EPA here.

Property Prevention:

Ticks are most likely to be in woods, where woods meet lawn, where lawn meets fields, tall brush/grass, under leaves, under ground cover (low growing vegetation), near stone walls or wood piles, shady areas, around bird feeders and outside pet areas.

  • Read “Property Prevention: Tricks to Stop Ticks” that you can do to lower exposure risk to ticks on your property here
  • Download “Property Prevention: Tricks to Stop Ticks” printable pdf  Click Here
  • Many commercial business also provide property management services 
    An example: Connecticut Tick Control, www.nixticks.com
    An example: Tick Box Technology Corporation www.tickboxtcs.com
  • More detailed information on property management can be found in these 2 publications:

http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/bulletins/b1010.pdf

http://twp.freehold.nj.us/ticks/public/publications/images_publications/freehold_tick_manual.p

What can you do if bitten?

  • Removing the tick quickly and properly can lower risk of disease transmission. View proper tick removal here. Download printable tick removal fact sheet here.
  • Tick identification and testing is available. Examples here.
  • For any questions or concerns, consult a medical care provider. The LDA Dr. Referral system is available here.

Quick Facts:

  • You can get many tick-borne diseases from one tick bite
  • The longer a tick is attached, the greater the risk of disease
  • Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms, history and exam
  • You can test negative & still have Lyme or other tick-borne diseases
  • CDC criteria are for surveillance purposes, not diagnois
  • According to the CDC surveillance criteria, an erythema migrans
    (EM) rash in an endemic area, means Lyme disease
  • In a non-endemic area, rash requires a positive test
  • Not everyone who contracts Lyme disease gets a rash
  • Lyme symptoms can develop days or months after a tick bite
  • Lyme patients often get worse before getting better while on
    treatment (Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction)
  • Lyme bacterium can cross the placenta & infect the fetus, which
    may result in fetal death & its DNA has been found in breast milk
  • Lyme can cause death
  • Controversy exists in the medical community

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