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Lyme Disease is a serious illness caused by the bite of the deer tick. These ticks are found in many parts of Massachusetts, especially the Cape and the Islands, the North Shore coast, the South Shore, and the Connecticut River Valley. Nantucket County has one of the highest rates in the country.
Lyme Disease is caused by infection with bacteria. People get Lyme Disease by being bitten by an infected tick. The ticks that transmit Lyme Disease can be as small as the period at the end of this sentence, and most people do not feel the tick or its bite. Ticks crawl around the tops of grass or bushes and try to find animals or people. You cannot get Lyme disease from another person or from an infected animal.
A common sign of Lyme Disease is a round, red, expanding rash two inches or more in diameter, which appears between three days to a month after being bitten by an infected tick. People may experience chills and fever, headaches, or muscle and joint pain and often feel tired. It is treatable with antibiotics, but it can become serious if left untreated. If you think you have Lyme Disease you should seek immediate medical attention.
By learning about Lyme Disease and taking a few easy steps to prevent it, you may be able to protect yourself and your family. To help protect yourself from ticks you should:
Stick to the main path or the center of trails. Keep out of high grass and shrubs.
Use clothes to protect your arms, legs and body. Tuck your pant legs into your socks to keep ticks from climbing in.
Use insect repellent on your clothes or exposed body parts. Use repellent that contains the chemical DEET, at a concentration of 30% or less for adults, and 15% or less for children. Don't use repellent on babies, and always follow the directions on the can.
Do a daily tick check! Check yourself, your children and your pets after being outdoors. Use your fingertips to feel for tiny bumps on your skin. Look for any new "freckles" that might actually be a tick.
Always use tweezers to promptly remove ticks. Don't use bare hands or crush the tick. Protect your fingers with gloves or plastic, and flush the tick or drown it in rubbing alcohol. Treat the bite site with a topical antibiotic ointment. If a tick is infected with the Lyme Disease bacteria, it must remain attached to you for at least twenty-four hours to pass on the infection. If you are bitten by a tick you should pay close attention to your body for the next few weeks, checking carefully for any rash or flu-like symptoms.
Please call the Hingham Health Department at 781-741-1466 if you need further information.