Health officials recommend caution, not fear, this tick season
Watertown Daily TimesJul 21, 2017
While fear of tick-borne diseases may be stoked by three recent cases of Powassan virus in
Since June, two confirmed cases and one suspected case of Powassan virus have been recorded in the state (all in
"There has been one case of Powassan in
"To be honest, the number (of cases) is not on the rise," he said.
The DOH records roughly 700 cases of Lyme disease per year in
Each year, the DOH collects and tests thousands of ticks, catching around 50 ticks from 100 to 150 sites across the state and testing them for five common pathogens.
"It only takes one tick bite ... the good part is the recommendations are always the same,"
Protective measures encouraged by the DOH include wearing long sleeves and pants when possible, wearing light colors and using insect repellent when spending time outside.
"None of it's a silver bullet, so we recommend doing a tick check at least once a day,"
While Lyme disease may take more than a day to transmit to a human, Powassan can infect a person in as little as 15 minutes.
"This northern region of the state, the north country, which includes the
"All of the tick populations we have found, all throughout the region, even where the density is low, they have all been infected with Lyme," she said.
While her research concluded an increase in tick population,
"It is probably a combination of climate change; changes in land use, reforestation of old agricultural areas perhaps; maybe increases in small mammal and deer populations," she said. "They might spread through the region on birds. Migratory birds might bring them north. So a tick can feed on a bird and the bird can fly north ... it is probably a combination of things."
Still,
"You hear a lot of talk about Powassan because there's no real treatment, no cure,"
The Powassan virus, like many viruses, cannot be cured, but medical help should be sought as soon as possible as doctors can still treat the symptoms and help a patient's immune system fight off the disease.
"But with the others, like Lyme disease, there are very good treatments, which is what makes (quick tick removal) and early treatment so important. If you get any symptoms (of tick-borne illness) share with your doctor if you've been spending time outside or have been bit ... caught early enough you can have great results."
To learn about tick protection and removal, the DOH offers instructive videos at www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/
PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
--Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
--Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
--Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors.
n Consider using insect repellent with Deet, Picaridin, IR3535 or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
--Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.
n Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
--Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
n Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
--Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.
SYMPTOMS OF POTENTIAL TICK-BORNE ILLNESS:
--Rash
--Headache
n Fatigue or confusion
n Muscle ache
n Fever and chills
n Nausea and vomiting
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