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The Freehold
Area Health Department Tick-borne Diseases Program would
like to remind the public of the potential for Lyme
Disease transmission in this province to both humans
and domestic animals. With warmer weather starting, Lyme
Disease season is here.
Lyme Disease is caused by a spirochete bacterium (Borrelia
burgdorferi) which is spread through a bite from
infected ticks. In New Jersey, the tick most commonly
associated with infections of Lyme Disease is the blacklegged
tick (also known as the deer tick) (Ixodes scapularis).
The deer tick is found in the shrubby understory of the
forest and at the edges between woodland and high grassy
areas. Ticks do not jump or fly—they crawl up vegetation
and wait for an animal to brush against them. They then
climb upon the animal and insert their mouth parts. They
will feed on blood for 3 to 5 days. Following a blood
meal, the tick swells to more than four times its normal
size and then drops to the ground.
While appearing to be a mild disease initially, Lyme Disease
can result in serious medical complications in humans
if not treated. Symptoms usually occur one to two weeks
after being bitten by an infected tick, beginning with
an enlarging red area of the skin at the site of the bite.
Other early symptoms include fever, headache, neck stiffness,
malaise and general muscle and joint aches and pain. If
not treated, the disease can spread to affect other areas
of the body such as the nerves and heart.
You can reduce your exposure
to tick bites by wearing protective clothing (long
sleeves and legs covered), applying insect repellant containing
DEET when working and recreating in tick
habitat.
If you find a tick attached to you, you should remove
it carefully with a pair of tweezers, being cautious not to
leave pieces behind which would likely cause infection. Persons
who believe they have found a tick on themselves or their
animal are encouraged to place the tick in a small container
with moist cotton and send it to health officials for proper
testing.
This practice will help us understand the size of the tick
population and the extent of infection is those ticks.
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NEWS: |
The Freehold Area Health Department announced this week publication of the results of its three-year study... more
The Freehold Area Health Department
and the Monmouth County Mosquito Extermination Commission
announced... more
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PUBLICATIONS:: |
This pamphlet provides a summary of published research on managing exposure to ticks. It includes information on tick biology, ecology, and behavior..
This pamphlet provides basic information
about signs and symptoms, transmission, tick biology
and ecology, and the current status of tick-borne
diseases in New Jersey.
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