An unengorged Deer tick,
about the size of a poppy seed

They’re small, they’re ugly, and they can take you out of commission for about a week. They’re deer ticks and they can carry the Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease.

Lyme disease is named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where a outbreak of the disease was found in the 1970s. So what do you need to know about ticks and Lyme disease?

Hard bodied ticks (in the US, deer ticks, in Europe the sheep tick, castor bean tick, or European castor bean tick ) are the vectors of Lyme disease. Deer ticks are small blood sucking parasites that primarily host on deer and small rodents, though can be found on almost any animal. They bite a host and attach themselves. There they will feed on the host for a period of about three days, after which time they will detach from the host, and drop to the ground. So how do ticks find a host? Unlike fleas, ticks cannot jump. Instead they hang out on grass blades and eventually wait for a host to brush by them, at which point they grab on and find a nice moist, warm spot to feed.

So, what can you do for safety? First, when you are out in the wilderness, stay on trails. Ticks live in tall grass and leaf piles. Avoiding places where they can be found is a good way to avoid them all together. However, avoiding them isn’t always an option. Tuck your socks into your pants, always wear shoes when outside and always wear pants. If you know you are going to be in an area with a high tick population, spraying deet on your skin exposed skin will also help repel ticks, however it will not stop them from biting you. If you wish to kill the ticks that might be climbing on you, you can try spraying your clothing (ONLY YOUR CLOTHING) with permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide however, and it is extremely toxic to fish and also to cats. So, if you choose to use it, make sure you apply it to your clothing away from rivers and streams, and away from house hold pets. And always, read all the instructions and safety warnings.

Wearing light clothing is also recommended. Ticks are dark, and should one happen to be crawling up your pant leg, you will be able to see it sooner if your pants happen to be light. After coming in, perform a tick check, taking special care to check moist, warm parts of your body, such as armpits, your waist around your pant waist, and your groin.

Should you find a tick, pull it out with a pair of tweezers, grasping the head, NOT THE BODY. DO NOT try to burn it out, or apply petroleum jelly to it. Yes, it will get the tick out, but it will also cause the tick to regurgitate into the wound, raising the risk of infection. If you feel you cannot pull the tick out yourself, leave it and see your doctor.

A characteristic Bull’s-eye rash.

So, what are the symptoms of Lyme disease. The tell tail sign is a “bull’s-eye rash,” a 5- 7cm rash with a red middle circle, a clear circle and another red circle, resembling a bull’s-eye. If you discover this rash on your body, see as soon as possible. Other symptoms include flue like symptoms, lethargy, muscle aches, swollen joints, and head ach. As the disease progresses, bell’s palsy has been reported in addition to mood swings, trouble sleeping, and on some occasions, meningitis.

For more information on Lyme Disease, visit the ILADS’ website at http://www.ilads.org/ .