Archive for category Tick Protection
US Track Athlete Battled Lyme disease for Four Years
Posted by janegwalker in Lyme disease, Tick Protection, Tick-borne illnesses and diseases on May 31, 2012
Last year, US Women’s Soccer Captain Christine Rampone showed us how Lyme disease can affect anyone, but US Track runner, Perry Fields, had a much different, and longer, struggle than Rampone that she’s sharing in her medical memoir.
The tick is a vector of many illnesses and disease, so small yet so dangerous.
In 2003, Perry was a highly ranked runner who had recently graduated from college. While outside at a festival, she was bitten by a tick. Having grown up in the country, she didn’t give it a second thought when she found and removed it two days later. She felt as if she had the flu for a few weeks but then all symptoms of any disease subsided and she continued her running training.
Two years later, at the US Track and Field Championships, Perry was the favorite to win. During her 800m race she started to lose feeling in her arms and legs and finished the race in dead last. She had no idea what happened. It wasn’t until her mother noticed her scratching her neck and a visible bull’s-eye rash on her neck, that she knew she had Lyme disease (a full two years after the initial tick bite).
The Lyme diagnosis was the beginning of a four and half year struggle with chronic Lyme disease. Antibiotics didn’t work to get rid of the Lyme, in fact, Perry got worse. It eventually led to meningitis and severe depression. Instead of giving up, Perry decided to take matters into her own hands and did enormous amounts of research on alternative ways to battle this debilitating disease.
Ticks bury their heads in the skin when they bite
Four years later, Perry describes herself as faster and healthier than she was pre-Lyme. She’s become a health coach and is in the process of qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Trials. To help those that suffer with chronic Lyme disease, she’s published a book, The Tick Slayer, about her struggle and how she was able to overcome the odds and get better.
Athletes like Perry and Christine Rampone show us that Lyme disease really can affect anyone, even healthy, leading US athletes. In a year when ticks are expected to be worse than ever, it’s important to make sure to continue to check yourself after spending any time outdoors. If you are interested in learning about ways to help get rid of ticks around you, please visit Mosquito Squad’s tick control page of our website.
Thank you to Perry Fields for her wonderful story.
May is Lyme disease Awareness Month
Posted by janegwalker in Deer ticks, Lyme disease, Tick Protection, Tick-borne illnesses and diseases on May 10, 2012
As we’ve discussed here before, Lyme disease can be a devastating disease that unfortunately is on the rise in many parts of the United States. Cause by the bite of a deer tick, Lyme can cause nausea, fatigue and joint pain. Although treated with antibiotics, if left untreated, symptoms can become more serious.
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month which we at Mosquito Squad are happy to participate in. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the country with over 30,000 Americans contracting the disease every year! Our vector expert and co-founder of Mosquito Squad, Boyd Huneycutt explains: “there is no doubt that ticks present a threat to the health of Americans, their families and even their pets, due to the movement and rise in the deer tick population. We urge everyone to control the factors that they can, and check themselves thoroughly when in areas that can house ticks.”
In recognition of Lyme Awareness Month, we want to reiterate Mosquito Squad 6 C for tick-proof yards:
- Clear out. Reduce your tick exposure by clearing out areas where lawn and tree debris gathers. Ticks thrive in moist, shady areas and tend to die in sunny, dry areas. Locate compost piles away from play areas or high traffic. Separate them with wood chips or gravel. Don’t position playground equipment, decks and patios near treed areas.
- Clean. Eliminate leaf litter and brush by cleaning it up around the house and lawn edges, mow tall grasses and keep your lawn short.
- Choose plants. Select plants and shrubs that are not attractive to deer and/or install physical barriers to keep deer out of your yard. Check with your local nursery to determine the best choices for your area.
- Check hiding places. Know tick hiding places and check them frequently. Fences, brick walls and patio retaining walls are popular hiding places.
- Care for family pets. Family pets can suffer from tick-borne disease and also carry infected ticks into the home. Talk to your veterinarian about using tick collars and sprays. As with all pest control products, be sure to follow directions carefully.
- Call the pros. Professionals utilize both barrier sprays that can kill live ticks on the spot as well as “tick tubes.” Strategically placed, “tick tubes” prompt field mice to incorporate tick-killing material in their bedding, effectively eliminating hundreds of tick nymphs found in each mouse nest.
Even if you follow the 6Cs, it is important to take the necessary precautions when spending time outdoors. The CDC recommends wearing light, long-sleeved clothing when in areas where ticks may be present. Always make sure to do a thorough body check when coming inside. If you do find a tick on you that has attached, be sure to remove it properly and place in a plastic bag in case you need to take it in for testing. Be aware of any rashes that occur around the bite itself. One symptom of Lyme disease is a bulls eye rash around the bite mark. If you think you are showing any signs of Lyme, it is important to go see a doctor.
If you would like to learn more about tick control in your area, please visit us at MosquitoSquad.com or contact your local Squad.
Ticks! They’re Everywhere!
Posted by janegwalker in Deer ticks, Lyme disease, Mosquito Squad, Tick Protection, Types of ticks on April 19, 2012
I always thought that to have ticks in your yard you had to live in areas with large deer populations (as many deer ticks are carried by and bite deer, hence the name). Well, this year I have been proven wrong. You see, my husband, Drew, and I live in the city of Richmond. Although we have a yard, we are far away from the wooded areas I thought ticks lived and I had never seen a tick in our yard or on our dog. I thought we were safe…
Tick populations are on the rise, make sure you keep close attention when spending time outdoors
In an effort to help our grass grow and flowers bloom, Drew has been spending more time in our yard watering, trimming etc. (I could say I have been too, but that would be a lie). In our front yard, our hose is located in the shade behind some large azaleas that we have. It’s one of the few places of our yard that gets more shade than sun and holds moisture pretty well. After turning off the hose and before coming inside the other day, what do you think he found crawling up his leg? The dreaded tick! Drew was lucky he was wearing long pants and was able to see and remove the tick before it bit. Since then we’ve been extra careful to check ourselves and our dog when coming in from the outside.
Because of the mild winter that many areas of the country experienced this year, more ticks are expected this spring. And with the increase in the reported cases of Lyme disease, every family should be extra vigilant when spending time outdoors, whether in the woods or sitting on your deck. To help fight the bite, we at Mosquito Squad are happy to offer up our 6 Cs of tick control you can utilize in your yard.
- Clear out debris. Debris often accumulates in moist shady areas where ticks thrive (they usually die in sunny dry areas).
- Clean. Eliminate leaf litter, brush off sidewalks and mow tall grass to cut down on the places ticks can harbor.
- Choose plants that aren’t attractive to deer. In areas where deer are present this is very important because deer will carry ticks right into your yard.
- Check hiding places periodically. Ticks like to hide along the base of fences and brick walls.
- Care for family pets. Ticks can easy hide in the fur of your pets. If your animals (like our Wiley) spend time in areas where ticks may be present, make sure you apply a topical tick medication.
- Call the pros. Mosquito Squad’s tick control eliminates ticks before they can bit and danger your friends and family.
In a year when ticks are expected to be worse than normal, it’s important to be extra careful. Make sure you do a full body check when coming inside and, in the case that you are bitten, remove the ticks properly and place it in a plastic bag in case it needs to be tested for tick-transmitted diseases.
New Drug for Chronic Lyme – FDA to decide to move forward with testing
Posted by janegwalker in Lyme disease, Mosquito Squad, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick Protection on April 2, 2012
The tick is a vector of many illnesses and disease, so small yet so dangerous.
With such a mild winter and warm spring, mosquitoes and ticks are already out and about, and biting. There has been an influx of news regarding ticks this year and the diseases they may carry, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. According to the Wall Street Journal “between 1992 and 2010, reported cases of Lyme doubled, to nearly 23,000 and there were another 7,600 probable cases in 210, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But CDC officials say the true incidence of Lyme may be three times higher.”
The high rate of tick activity so far in 2012 has experts predicting an increase in Lyme disease. Lyme disease, transmitted through a tick bite, can cause nausea, fatigue, joint pain and headaches. If caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics, but if it goes untreated it can cause more serious ailments including shooting pains, dizziness, chronic fatigue and heart palpitations.
As we have mentioned in previous posts, doctors are still debating whether chronic Lyme disease exists and if it does, the best ways to treat it. As the conversation continues as to its validity, some researchers are moving forward and looking for a cure for chronic Lyme.
Over the last two and half years, Dr. Newell-Rogers, a professor at Texas A&M, and Viral Genetics have been testing a new drug that could be prescribed for chronic Lyme disease. Their findings and a proposal for a clinical trial were recently submitted to the FDA for consideration. Time for Lyme, an organization that focuses on the research of tick-borne illnesses, has financed the pre-clinical research. “At present, there is no recognized treatment for Lyme once it has developed into its chronic, long-term state,” says Peter Wild, executive director of Time for Lyme. “We are hopeful that Dr. Newell-Roger’s work will provide the solution that long-term Lyme disease sufferers have been hoping for, for decades.” Read more about the study here.
As the FDA decides on whether or not to move forward with Dr. Newell-Roger’s trial, it is important that we all protect ourselves from ticks in a year that they are expected to be VERY prevalent. Here are some tips:
- Reduce tick exposure through landscaping. Ticks live in moist, shady areas, so separate your outdoor living spaces from their habitats using gravel or wood-chip borders. Mow tall grasses and don’t position playgrounds along the wooded areas.
- Treat your pets. Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses can harm your pets as well. Ask your veterinarian about tick medications.
- Dress appropriately. Wearing loose-fitting, long sleeved and long legged clothing will reduce your chance for tick bites.
- Check your body for ticks. It’s important to check yourself thoroughly for ticks after being outside. Pay special attention to feet, ankles, behind the knees and armpits.
- Remove ticks promptly. If you see a tick on you, make sure to remove it promptly and place it in a plastic bag in case it needs to be tested for Lyme.
If you have a problem with ticks in your yard, you may need professional treatment. Mosquito Squad’s tick control service helps fight Lyme by killing ticks before they can bite you. To learn more, please visit our website or contact your local Mosquito Squad office.
Tick Study Indicated High Risk of Lyme disease in the Northeast and Midwest
Posted by janegwalker in Borrelia burgdorferi, Lyme disease, Mosquito Squad, Tick Protection, Tick-borne illnesses and diseases, Uncategorized on February 24, 2012
A recent study in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene focused on one of our hot topics here at Mosquito Squad: Lyme disease. Over 5300 tick nymphs were collected between 2004 and 2006 in the eastern half of the United States (37 states) and were studied to see if borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) was present in the gut. The results were somewhat surprising.
A recent study shows Lyme disease hot beds in the Northeast and Upper Midwest
Lyme disease was first found in Lyme, CT in 1975. Since then, the disease has been slowly spreading south. As you can see in the study’s map to the left, the study confirmed a common presence of Lyme disease from Maine to Northern Virginia with the eastern coast’s hot bed in the Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey area.
The United States has a second hot bed for Lyme in the Midwest, primarily in Wisconsin and Minnesota. What is interesting to note is the very low occurrence of Lyme between the two hot beds. The researchers noted in their discussion that even in areas where the Lyme risked is illustrated as low, it doesn’t mean that it does not exist and body checks should always be performed when spending time in a potential tick zone.
Lyme disease is a potentially debilitating illness that can have lifelong affects if not treated early. Symptoms include fatigue, chills, fever and headaches. It’s important that if you ever find a tick on you, to remove it safely (here are the CDC’s recommendations for removing a tick) and place it in a plastic bag in case you need to have it tested.
Mosquito Squad stops ticks dead in their tracks
Mosquito Squad is happy to help fight the bite against ticks. If you live in an area where ticks are a problem, contact your local Squad and ask about our tick control program.
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