Best practices
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wildlife control operators in New York State
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Caused by: A bacterium.
Most common way people catch it: Bite from the deer tick—only way it is caught.
Worst-case scenario: Can lead to disabling conditions including arthritis, problems with the heart and nervous systems, and personality changes.
How common in the Northeast? Common. (In 1999, for example, 92% of the cases reported to the CDC were from Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin).
Most vulnerable groups: People who spend more time outdoors and those who work in landscaping, forestry, and related jobs.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacteria are transmitted to people by bites from the deer (a.k.a. "black-legged") tick, Ixodes scapularis. There are more than 16,000 infections in the United States each year. If untreated, Lyme disease can cause arthritis, especially in the knees; heart problems; cognitive disorders; sleep disturbance; fatigue; and personality changes. Infrequently, Lyme disease may be severe, chronic, and disabling but it's rarely if ever fatal.
Some infected individuals show no symptoms, or only mild, flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle pain. Symptoms often begin 7 days after infection, although they may be noticeable 3–30 days afterwards.
Early symptoms include a flu-like illness with headache, slight fever, muscle or joint pain, neck stiffness, swollen glands, jaw discomfort, and inflammation of the eyelids. A diagnostic rash appears in 65–75% of cases. This red rash starts at the site of the tick bite. It often has a bulls-eye appearance. The rash grows quickly, often forming a nearly circular lesion of about 1–8 inches, and may burn or itch. Additional smaller skin lesions may appear at other sites of the body and may last for days or weeks.
Additional symptoms may develop in untreated patients. These often include arthritis, especially of the knees. The joint pain and swelling usually occur one or more months after infection, may involve one or more joints, and may recur in different joints. Problems might develop with the heart, muscles, and nervous system, causing cognitive disorders, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and personality changes.
The disease is more common in coastal areas with sandy soils. People who spend more time outdoors and those who work in landscaping, forestry, and related jobs are at higher risk for the disease. Gardening, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting may expose you to Lyme disease. NWCOs are not necessarily in a higher risk category, but should take precautions, especially if working in an area favored by ticks.
The disease's name comes from its discovery in Lyme, Connecticut in 1977.
People catch the disease when an infected tick feeds on them—if the tick has remained attached to their bodies long enough to transmit the disease. That usually takes about two days. If the tick is located and removed within 24 hours, infection is unlikely.
For Lyme disease to exist in an area, at least three things must be present outdoors: the Lyme disease bacteria; deer ticks that can transmit the bacteria; and host mammals such as mice and deer that provide a blood meal for the ticks through their various life stages.
Lyme disease has a more complicated transmission cycle than the wildlife diseases discussed earlier because the life cycle of the vector, the deer tick, takes two years to complete. Although the deer tick may be infected with the Lyme disease bacteria in three of its four life stages, it's almost always a nymph tick that transmits the disease to people. That's because larval ticks are rarely infected when they're feeding. And adult ticks are much larger, so they're more likely to be removed before they've had a chance to transmit the bacteria to the person.
Lyme disease affects humans and dogs but doesn't cause illness in deer.
Patients treated with antibiotics during the early stages of the disease usually recover quickly and completely. Even patients treated during later stages generally respond well and recover. A vaccine is available for dogs, but there's no reliable vaccine for people yet.
When possible, avoid tick-infested areas, especially from May through July. Deer ticks in the Northeast prefer deciduous forests and habitats that contain leaf litter. They need moist cover from the wind and other elements. Suburbs often contain prime habitats (forested areas interspersed with residential development); ticks also prefer overgrown brushy areas, particularly along forest edges.
To see them better, wear light-colored clothing and tuck your pant legs into your socks. You could also tape the tops of the socks over the pant legs with duct tape for added protection. If you decide to use tick repellent, follow the label's instructions carefully.
Check yourself for ticks while you're outdoors, and remove any you find. (Try doing this during your lunch break). Once indoors and naked, inspect your body carefully and remove ticks. Make sure to do this by bedtime. Showering, with vigorous scrubbing, may also help to remove ticks.
Place the tick in alcohol or a vial for identification. Note the date of removal. If it proves to be a deer tick, see a doctor.
After outdoor activity, remove and wash your clothing promptly and dry the clothes at a high temperature.
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