Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) continue to be a major concern for New Yorkers and their families.
Lyme disease, perhaps the most well known, is a bacterial infection transmitted by the blacklegged tick. Ticks feed on wild animals such as mice, deer and birds. These hosts transport ticks and the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
The disease can affect the skin, joints, nervous system and/or heart. Many TBDs are regionally isolated; others are carried by certain ticks and appear at certain elevations. Some can be fatal to vulnerable populations or in very rare circumstances.
Ticks do not jump or fly. They perch on vegetation and grab animals upon contact. The insects prefer wooded areas and adjacent grasslands but also inhabit lawns and gardens where they meet the wood’s edge.
With so many of us spending more time outdoors as the warmer weather arrives, it is important that you take precautions to keep yourself, your loved ones and your pets tick-free.
The New York State Department of Health offers the following advice to reduce your risk:
- Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
- Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
- Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors.
- Consider using insect repellent.
- Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.
- Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
- Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
- Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
- Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets),and remove ticks promptly.
Most tick encounters occur from April through November. However, ticks are active in temperatures above freezing. As the climate changes, the geographic range of ticks, and the reach of diseases they carry, expands.
You can find additional information regarding Lyme disease prevention, how to remove a tick and symptoms by visiting the state Department of Health’s website at https://www.health.ny.gov/
