The dangers of tick bites are well known to East End residents. If a tick bites you, you’re wise to be concerned about contracting a tick-borne illness. But does it matter what kind of tick has bitten you? A tick is a tick, and they’re all bad, right? Actually, no. While most ticks carry pathogens, different types of ticks cause various illnesses, and some are far more dangerous to humans than others. It’s important to know what kind of tick has bitten you so you can understand what health consequences you may experience and what symptoms to look for.
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5 Common Misconceptions About Lyme Disease
First identified in rural Connecticut in 1975, Lyme disease has been the subject of conjecture and controversy for nearly half a century. Because many of its symptoms mimic other diseases, and research on its long-term effects is still ongoing, Lyme disease has many myths and misconceptions.
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A Brief History of Lyme Disease
Sometimes, we believe that just because we weren’t aware of something previously, it must be new. Many people feel that way about Lyme disease.
They believe that because the tick-borne disease has been well-publicized in the last few decades, that must be when it started. Unfortunately, that’s not true.
Unlike the SARS virus and various flu viruses that mutate and expand their ability to infect people, Lyme disease is not caused by a virus but a bacterium that hasn’t changed much in the last 60,000 years.
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All About the Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine
In 2021, the United States approved the use of a vaccine called TICOVAC or TicoVac for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). People in Europe have been using this vaccine effectively for more than 20 years.
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The CDC and Its Tick Surveillance and Collection
While you are taking steps to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from ticks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other state and local agencies are gathering data to help inform and protect the public. Those agencies ensure facts are accurate to drive public policy decisions regarding these disease-transmitting pests.
What Is Tick Surveillance?
Tick surveillance is the scientific collection of ticks and tick-related environmental samples. Its goal is to identify all tick species in a specific area and test for tick-borne pathogens. Entomologists document, collect, and study the ticks and samples, and then they report the data to health agencies for analysis.
How Is Tick Surveillance Used?
Tick surveillance data monitors the presence and number of ticks in a specific area and follows how this information changes over time. It also documents infection levels in disease-carrying tick species.
Public health agencies use this information to make strategic decisions about tick control programs and resource allocation. Additionally, the data is used to communicate to the public the likelihood of encounters with pathogen-carrying ticks in the area of interest.
Tick surveillance programs do not monitor or report https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/tick-borne disease in human or veterinary patients; that data is gathered separately through state and local health departments. Personal identifiers are then removed, and information is shared with the CDC through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
Why Is Tick Surveillance Important?
It is critical to know where ticks are active to properly assess the risk of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals. Some illnesses, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can be debilitating or fatal to humans.
How Accurate Is Tick Surveillance?
Like any scientific enterprise, the information resulting from tick surveillance experiences a lag between data collection and publication, and promulgation. Tick populations are constantly shifting and changing, so it is wise for residents of areas where ticks may be present to be vigilant.
Call East End Tick Control for Peace of Mind Protection
Call East End Tick Control® if you see ticks or suspect their presence on your property or home, call East End Tick Control®. We are Eastern Suffolk County’s most-experienced tick control company, providing the Twin Forks and East End with the most effective pest control treatments since 1997. Protect your family from disease-carrying ticks year-round by requesting a free estimate now or by calling our Southampton office at (631) 287-9700, our East Hampton office at (631) 324-9700, or our Southold office at (631) 765-9700.
Melting Snow + Warmer Temperatures = Increased Tick Activity
While spring might not officially be here yet, it’s not too early to start checking for ticks. Conventional wisdom tells us that cold winter and lots of snow help kill off insects, including ticks. So it feels like we should be safe from the little critters as the snow melts and we start to see warmer temperatures, and sadly, that’s not necessarily the case.
Epidemiologists in Minnesota conducted a study a few years ago that showed heavy snowfalls might protect ticks from the frigid cold necessary to kill them. So when the snow melts, deer ticks might be very abundant.
But what do deer ticks in Minnesota have to do with ticks on Long Island? While the climate might not be the same, the principle is that the melting snow and warming temperatures might increase tick activity that people aren’t expecting.
As the snow melts and the temperatures increase, it’s more important than ever to check yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks after you’ve been outside. Tick activity is on the rise, even if it isn’t “tick season” just yet.
Are More Ticks Surviving Through Winter?
While there will be some variation year over year, the short answer is yes. Due to climate change and global warming, more ticks survive through winter leading to earlier tick seasons and more ticks.
A 2008 study discovered that climate change significantly influences the spread and population growth of ticks all over the world. In short, as we start seeing shorter winters, we’re also going to know a lot more ticks. Without frigid temperatures to kill them off, the tick population is just going to continue to look for people and animals to feed on.
Can Ticks Freeze to Death?
Yes, cold weather can help decrease the population of ticks, but it has to be colder than most people like and for a more extended period. The temperature must be below 10 degrees for multiple consecutive days for a significant die-off in ticks.
Worse yet, ticks like it when it’s wet, so melting snow is just about perfect for them. The temperature has to get above freezing for the snowmelt and ticks like humidity, and they prefer humidity at 85 percent or higher, so wet melting snow is good for them.
Are Ticks Harmful?
In addition to that creepy-crawly feeling that ticks bring, they can also be very dangerous to your family’s health and your pet’s health. In 2019, more than 8% of the ticks from Suffolk County submitted for testing at the SUNY Center contained some vector-borne pathogen. With the increasing number of ticks, the risk of infection also grows.
Call East End Tick Control® for Year-Round Tick Prevention
Are you looking for other ways to protect your family from ticks and the diseases they carry? Contact us to discuss mitigation options. East End Tick and Mosquito Control® is Suffolk County’s most-experienced pest control company. For more than 20 years, we have been using the most effective extermination methods to protect yourself and your family. Request a free estimate now or call our Southampton office at (631) 287-9700 , our East Hampton office at (631) 324-9700, or our Southold office at (631) 765-9700.
Are Ticks Still a Concern in Winter?
Autumn and winter are times for fall festivals and other outdoor events. From skiing, ice fishing, and other winter sports, it is a time of many outdoor entertainment options. Along with spending time outdoors comes the risk of exposure to ticks. But how bad is that risk?
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Fall Tick Season Forecast for 2021
Lower New York and Long Island experienced a warm summer, with temperatures higher than 2020 and significant rainfall, with record rains in July alone. The combination means that the tick population will be especially active and thriving this fall and into early winter. Not only will the ticks emerge in increased quantities, but local area scientists have also made the unpleasant discovery that this year’s tick population carries noticeably higher percentages of dangerous diseases than in years past. Long Islanders must act quickly to safeguard themselves from this season’s rapidly emerging tick population.
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Lyme Disease Awareness Month: 12 Tips To Protect Yourself From Ticks
Summer is weeks away, and as Long Island residents prepare for the busy season and warmer days ahead, it is also time to prepare for tick season. Specifically, it is time to focus on the fact that May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Scientists are predicting a hectic year with an increase in ticks. Doctors believe that COVID-19 could lead to more people being infected with tick-borne illnesses because the urge to go outside being stronger than ever.
Lyme Disease Awareness Month – What To Know About Lyme Disease
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and as professional tick experts, we know how important it is to be informed about this tick-borne disease. This is because WordHampton.com reports that about 20% to 50% of ticks in the East End area of Long Island carry Lyme disease! Fortunately, East End Tick Control® specializes in the removal of ticks from your property because we know that ticks are not only annoying, but they can also be dangerous to you and your family’s health.
Since we have been indoors for so long, it is natural to feel the urge to go back outside and enjoy the warm weather. However, some doctors have voiced their concerns that the influx of people going outdoors could spike an increase in Lyme disease cases. For this reason, we have written an informative yet condensed blog for you to better understand Lyme disease. Read on to learn and share with your friends and family to spread the knowledge!
Origin
The name “Lyme disease” came from the location of the first cases of Lyme disease in a small town called Lyme, Connecticut. These cases took place in 1975 when a woman notified Yale researchers about “a cluster of pediatric arthritis cases”, explains DHSS.Delaware.gov. From 1977 to 1979, the Yale researchers changed the name of the disease from Lyme arthritis to Lyme disease once new symptoms were discovered. Finally, in 1982, a doctor by the name of Dr. Willy Burgdorfer uncovered that the cause of Lyme disease was a spirochete. This infectious agent was named after him, and we now know that spirochete to be called Borrelia burgdorferi.
Cause
Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete bacteria Borrelia. Specifically, the Lyme disease cases in the United States are caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii. MayoClinic.org informs us that these bacteria are transmitted when an infected black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick, bites through the skin. The chance of getting bit by an infected tick increases when you are in densely wooded or grassy areas.
Symptoms
Lyme disease can present itself in multiple ways in different people. As stated by Healthline.com, the most common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, joint pain, and the signature circular bulls-eye rash that can appear at the site of where the tick bite occurred. This rash could appear as “a raised rash, a flat rash, or even blisters”. If you see this bull’s-eye rash anywhere on your body, see your doctor as soon as possible to start treatment or risk experiencing more serious complications, such as heart disorders, meningitis, and even miscarriages.
Treatment
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria, so treatment requires antibiotics. To treat early stages of Lyme disease, the appropriate antibiotics include Doxycycline, Amoxicillin, or Cefuroxime, states CDC.gov. Those who are receiving these antibiotics are instructed to take them anywhere from 10 to 14 days. Treatment of later stages of Lyme disease where it has spread further in the body can require taking antibiotics for longer than 14 days and may even involve intravenous antibiotic treatment.
East End Tick Control Can Help Protect You From Lyme Disease
East End Tick Control® has the expertise and years of experience to eliminate ticks from your property with both traditional and organic products. Eradicating the tick population surrounding your Suffolk County home will greatly reduce the chance of you or your loved ones getting Lyme disease in your own environment. You should be able to freely spend time outside in your own backyard without ticks threatening your health or peace of mind. Contact us today to start enjoying spring to the fullest!
