Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl
Gosh. I thought when we left the wooded areas with the deerticks we were free of worry about Lyme disease.
I am sorry you have it.
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I knew virtually nothing about the ticks and disease so just did a bit of research. This is from lots of different sites...just selectively chose some info that seemed most interesting and pertinent to our circumstances in TV...and prevention.
Deer ticks, now known as the black-legged tick, is defined more by the disease it spreads than by its own characteristics. They are smaller than the more familiar dog tick; deer ticks are about as big as a sesame seed. They live throughout the central and eastern United States, wherever their favorite hosts, deer and rodents, are present. Ticks become infected after feeding on infected mice and other small mammals, such as chipmunks.
The tick must remain attached for at least 24 hours for the (Lyme Disease causing) bacteria to transmit to humans. Checking yourself, your family and your pets after coming inside may enable you to find such a tick and head off the disease.
In the US more than 14,000 cases are reported annually, but because symptoms so closely resemble the flu and usually go away without treatment, scientists estimate as many as nine out of every ten cases go unreported.
Protect your pets. People often think of Lyme disease as a threat to humans, but it is also a threat to dogs and cats. Ticks can hide easily in a pet’s fur and attach for a blood meal. Always look for and remove ticks as pets can become infected with Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases. Pets can carry ticks into the house where they can attach to humans. Be particularly careful if your pets sleep with you.
If you plan on spending time in a wooded area of Florida during the spring or fall, then wear long pants tucked into your socks. Wear light-colored clothing so you can quickly spot ticks. Avoid brushing plants along trails, as ticks can use their sense of smell to migrate to high-traffic areas. If you find a tick on you or someone else, then remove it with a pair of tweezers. Do not burn it with a match or use harsh chemicals. This could cause the tick to regurgitate its entire stomach contents into the host's bloodstream.
A tick safe zone is composed of lawn, is as sunny as possible and begins nine feet or more from the edge of the woods. It should surround your house and encompass the areas of your yard that you and your family regularly use. This includes walkways, areas used for recreation, entertainment, and gardens. Your tick safe zone takes advantage of the tick’s own biology and behavior to keep ticks away.
Lyme disease occurs only sporadically in the southern states. Three hundred sixty-six cases were confirmed in Florida from 1999-2005 and most people with Lyme disease acquired their infection in the northeast. In the seven-year period 1999-2005, an annual average of 18 cases without a travel history outside the state were reported to the State Health Office (Division of Environmental Health 2006).