CHENANGO COUNTY – The Chenango County Department of Public Health (CCPHD) in conjunction with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) continue to investigate and monitor the spread of Lyme Disease throughout New York State.
Here are some general seasonal awareness tips and information about the elusive deer tick, and how county residents can both prepare, limit and protect themselves to the exposure of bacterial infection of Lyme’s disease this summer.
Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected deer tick, and if left untreated can cause a number of serious health problems such as skin, heart, nervous system and arthritic problems.
Ticks can be found throughout most places in New York State, and rural Chenango county is a prime habitat for deer tick.
Wooded and bushy areas are especially dense with ticks as this is usually where ticks feed on birds, mice and deer. Exposure to ticks carrying Lyme Disease is generally elevated beginning in mid May to early June.
Infected ticks can transmit the Lyme bacteria during it's feeding process, when it attaches itself to a host mammal and draws in blood for nourishment, much like a leech.
Ticks can stay attached for approximately two to four days and become engorged with blood. It will later drop off, possibly undetected.
It should be noted that not all ticks carry the bacteria, and even if the tick has the Lyme bacteria, there is no guarantee that a bite exposure will result in disease. If a person has been bitten by an infected tick, early symptoms can include a bulls-eye rash and flu like symptoms.
Ticks often remain undetected due to their small size, and the fact that they more often than not attach in an inconspicuous location on the host. Depending on a tick's developmental stage, they may be difficult to spot with the naked eye.
Wearing long pants, tucking in pant legs, and wearing long sleeves when hiking or spending time in wooded areas in addition to tick repellant spray are the best ways to prevent exposure.
In addition to protecting you skin, the CCPHD encourages anyone who spends time in target areas to always perform a visual body check at the end of the day on both humans and pets. If a tick is present, remove it promptly to decrease the risk of infection.
If a tick is identified on a body, it needs to be removed carefully, and outdoors people are cautioned that safe removal can be the difference between contracting Lyme Disease and not.
Using fine point tweezers, grab the tick at its mouthparts (the part attached to the skin), tug gently repeatedly, until the tick releases. Most importantly, be patient and never simply "squeeze" the body of the tick, burn it with a match, or use chemicals. Tweezers can squeeze the interior of the tick and potentially transfuse the Lyme bacteria into the body and bloodstream.
After the tick(s) are removed, apply antiseptic to the site and call your healthcare provider to report the tick.
County residents who wish to have a tick identified should preserve it in a container of alcohol and call the Chenango County Health Department at 337-1660.
Unfortunately, some will inevitably contract Lyme Disease and require medical treatment. Affected patients are typically treated with antibiotics therapy during the early stage of the infection, and usually recover rapidly and completely. Since Lyme disease first became reportable in 1986, over 95,000 cases have now been confirmed in New York State alone.
If you have been exposed to a tick, contact your health care provider as soon as possible. If you have any further questions about Lyme Disease or ticks, contact your healthcare provider or the CCPHD at 337-1660.