Facts
- Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a deer tick (pinhead-sized and smaller).
- An embedded (infected) tick will transmit the bacteria within 24-48 hours.
- Crawling ticks will not transmit the disease.
- Lyme disease is treatable…the earlier the better.
- Symptoms (may occur from 3-32 days after bite).
- Fatigue – Muscle/joint pain.
- Headache -“Bull’s – eye” or atypical rash.
- Chills/fever – Swollen lymph nodes.
Prevention
- Tick habitat – Grass, bushes, woods
- Clothing – Hat, long-sleeved shirt, long pants tucked into socks, light-colored, so a tick can more easily be spotted. Inspect before going inside.
- Repellant – Spray only on clothing.
- Removal – Use clean, fine-pointed tweezers – grasp tick as close to skin as possible, and tug gently; wash site with soap and water, and apply antiseptic.
- If bitten-note date on calendar, consult physician if symptoms occur.
Lyme Disease Information Hotline: 1-800-876-LYME
Information from Chester Cty. (N.J.) Health Dept. as published in The Eastern Seven News (July, ’99), newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic East Coast Chapter of FMDAC
[Please note: there are now additional diseases that ticks can transmit, none pleasant. Save the tick, which can be analyzed for these diseases.]
Submitted by: Dave G.