Lyme disease is a serious problem here in New England – most notably in New Hampshire, which has the highest per capita rate of cases in the country, according to the CDC. Nature 101's Paul Basham got the lowdown on the six-legged creatures at the state Fish and Game Department's Discover Wild New Hampshire Day last month. Here's what he learned:
Are all ticks carriers of Lyme disease?
“That is one of the questions most often asked of me,” said George Robinson, a toxicologist with the state Department of Health and Human Services. “And, of course, the answer is no.”
Lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected black-legged deer tick. Each year, hundreds of New Hampshire residents get infected with Lyme disease, the symptoms of which may include chills, fever, headache and muscle and joint pain. A bull's eye like rash may develop on the skin where the tick has bitten, according to DHHS.
Robinson was on hand at last month's Discover Wild New Hampshire event, along with Rebecca Adams, a microbiologist with the state public health laboratories. They distributed information about ticks and Lyme disease, including tips on how to remove them.
If you find a tick on you, use tweezers to firmly grasp the tick very close to your skin. With a steady motion, pull the tick's body away from the skin. Clean your skin with soap and warm water.
Don't use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish or other products to remove a tick, and be sure to get its head, Robinson said.
When you are walking through high-risk tick areas like bushy overgrown grass, Adams said it's helpful to wear light-colored clothing so you can more readily see the ticks, and to tuck your pants into your socks and boots.
In addition, you can apply appropriate insect repellent, although ticks are not insects but are related to spiders. When coming in from outdoors, you should do a thorough body check.
And don't forget to check your animals: Robinson said that whenever his cat comes in from being outside, he carefully looks her over for ticks. “My cat is a tick magnet!” he said.
