Stop Ticks to Avoid Lyme and Other Tickborne Diseases

"Ticks carry germs that can cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Use EPA-registered repellents to reduce the chance of being bitten by a tick.

In addition to using repellents, check for ticks and shower after being outdoors to reduce your chance of getting a tickborne disease. Get medical attention if you have a tick bite followed by a fever or rash.

Ticks Can Cause Serious Diseases

A tick bite can cause serious disease such as:

• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Southern tick-associated rash illness
• Tick-borne relapsing fever
• Tularemia

Other diseases that you can get from a tick in the United States include Colorado tick fever and Powassan virus infection..."
Ticks and lyme disease

Prevent Lyme disease

"Before gardening, camping, hiking, or just playing outdoors, make preventing tick bites part of your plans.

Lyme disease is spread by the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, an estimated 300,000 infections occur each year. If you camp, hike, work, or play in wooded or grassy places, you could be bitten by an infected tick.

People living in or visiting New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and the upper Midwest are at greatest risk. Infected ticks can also be found in neighboring states and in some areas of Northern California, Oregon and Washington. But you and your family can prevent tick bites and reduce your risk of Lyme disease.

Protect Yourself from Tick Bites

Know where to expect ticks. Blacklegged ticks (the ticks that cause Lyme disease) live in moist and humid environments, particularly in and near wooded or grassy areas. You may get a tick on you during outdoor activities around your home or when walking through leaves and bushes. To avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails and avoid walking through tall bushes or other vegetation.

Though Lyme disease cases have been reported in nearly every state, cases are reported from the infected person’s county of residence, not the place where they were infected. More Lyme disease data >

Repel ticks on skin and clothing. Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth. Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer..."
Lyme disease

Stop Ticks to Avoid Lyme and Other Tickborne Diseases

"Ticks carry germs that can cause Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Use EPA-registered repellents to reduce the chance of being bitten by a tick.

In addition to using repellents, check for ticks and shower after being outdoors to reduce your chance of getting a tickborne disease. Get medical attention if you have a tick bite followed by a fever or rash.

Ticks Can Cause Serious Diseases

A tick bite can cause serious disease such as:

• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Southern tick-associated rash illness
• Tick-borne relapsing fever
• Tularemia

Other diseases that you can get from a tick in the United States include Colorado tick fever and Powassan virus infection.

Before You Go Outdoors

• Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals, so spending time outside camping, gardening, or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.
• Treat clothing and gear with products containing permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remain protective through several washings.
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow product instructions, especially with children.
  • Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.
  • Do not use products containing OLE or   PMD on children under 3 years old..."
    Ticks

Vital Signs: Trends in Reported Vectorborne Disease Cases — United States and Territories, 2004–2016

"Introduction: Vectorborne diseases are major causes of death and illness worldwide. In the United States, the most common vectorborne pathogens are transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes, including those causing Lyme disease; Rocky Mountain spotted fever; and West Nile, dengue, and Zika virus diseases. This report examines trends in occurrence of nationally reportable vectorborne diseases during 2004–2016.

Methods: Data reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System for 16 notifiable vectorborne diseases during 2004–2016 were analyzed; findings were tabulated by disease, vector type, location, and year.

Results: A total 642,602 cases were reported. The number of annual reports of tickborne bacterial and protozoan diseases more than doubled during this period, from >22,000 in 2004 to >48,000 in 2016. Lyme disease accounted for 82% of all tickborne disease reports during 2004–2016. The occurrence of mosquitoborne diseases was marked by virus epidemics. Transmission in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa accounted for most reports of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus diseases; West Nile virus was endemic, and periodically epidemic, in the continental United States..."
Vectorborne Diseases

Prevent Lyme disease

"Before gardening, camping, hiking, or just playing outdoors, make preventing tick bites part of your plans.

Lyme disease is spread by the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, an estimated 300,000 infections occur each year. If you camp, hike, work, or play in wooded or grassy places, you could be bitten by an infected tick.

People living in or visiting New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and the upper Midwest are at greatest risk. But you and your family can prevent tick bites and reduce your risk of Lyme disease.

Protect Yourself from Tick Bites

Know where to expect ticks. Blacklegged ticks (the ticks that cause Lyme disease) live in moist and humid environments, particularly in and near wooded or grassy areas. You may get a tick on you during outdoor activities around your home or when walking through leaves and bushes. To avoid ticks, walk in the center of trails and avoid walking through tall bushes or other vegetation..."

Lyme disease

Lyme Disease: Ten things you always wanted to know about ticks..

"May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
To find out how to steer clear of Lyme disease during "picnic season" - a time when people are more likely to pick up ticks - the National Science Foundation spoke with NSF-funded disease ecologist Rick Ostfeld of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., and program director Sam Scheiner of NSF's Division of Environmental Biology..."
Lyme disease

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It's Spring – Time to Prevent Lyme Disease

"Before gardening, camping, hiking, or just playing outdoors, make tick bite prevention part of your outdoor plans.
Over 25,000 cases of Lyme disease among Americans will be reported this year. The risk is greatest among those living in or visiting New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and the upper Midwest. A recent national survey found that nearly 20 percent of people in areas where Lyme disease is common were unaware of the danger. Fortunately, there are several tactics you and your family can use to prevent tick bites and reduce your risk of tickborne disease..."
Lyme Disease