The Lyme Disease Facts You Need to Know
Massachusetts is a hotbed of tick activity — and tick populations are on the rise. Black-legged ticks spread Lyme disease, and as tick populations grow, so do incidences of the disease. Get our list of Lyme disease facts, and learn how we can help you protect your property from the ticks spreading across Eastern Massachusetts.
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Lyme Disease Facts: Ticks On the Rise
According to data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were more than 8,600 tick infections in 2017. This represents a 50 percent increase from 2013. Dr. Sam Telford, a tick expert and professor of infectious disease at Tufts University, years ago had to travel to Cape Cod to collect ticks; now, he says, “It’s all Eastern Massachusetts.”
Not only is tick territory expanding, their population is exploding. According to Dr. Telford, “Ten or fifteen years ago I could go for an hour and find two ticks, now I can go for an hour and get 40 or 50.”
Ticks can commonly be found in and around shady, wooded areas, leaf litter, wood piles, and other areas where they can shelter while still easily latching onto an unsuspecting host. Keep reading for more Lyme disease facts.
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Lyme Disease Facts: How Lyme Disease Can Spread
A person can contract Lyme disease from an infected black-legged tick. Usually the tick must be attached for at least 24 hours before it can spread the germ that causes Lyme. Black-legged ticks can also spread germs that cause other illnesses: babeosis, and anaplasmosis.
Lyme Disease Facts: When You Can Get Lyme
It is possible to be bitten by a Lyme-infected tick year-round. Young black-legged ticks are most active from May-July. While adult ticks are most active during fall and spring, they can bite a host throughout the winter when temperatures are above freezing.
What To Do if a Tick Has Bitten You
If you find a tick on your body, remove it as quickly as possible. If its head is embedded, make every effort to remove the tick in one piece, by carefully grasping with tweezers and pulling the tick out at an angle perpendicular to your body. Carefully monitor the site of the bite for signs of a donut-shaped rash developing around it.
In the early stages of Lyme disease, you may experience symptoms such as fever, swollen glands, headache, stiff neck, sore muscles and joints, and fatigue.
If any of these symptoms occur, see a doctor as soon as possible for treatment.
What is the Best Protection Against Ticks?
At Kinder Spray, we specialize in providing all-natural pest control. Using eco-friendly methods, we find and destroy ticks on your property, and create a barrier to prevent new ticks from entering. Our Three-Season Spray Package keeps your property protected when ticks are most active: from early spring through late fall. If you will mainly be outdoors in the summer, you can choose our Summer Spray Package. And if you are hosting an outdoor event, you can arrange a Special Event Spray to ensure your guests enjoy their time free from the threat of ticks and Lyme disease.
For more Lyme disease facts and natural pest control news, explore our blog!
Sources for This Article:
Lyme Disease Hot Spots Are Popping Up Around Mass. – Boston 25 News
Lyme Disease – Mass.gov