Archive for the ‘Ticks’ Category

Tick Check!

http://

Tick Check!

The #TickCheckChallenge is an interactive challenge created to help educate and protect kids (and adults!) from Lyme Disease and other debilitating tick-borne diseases. Only 1 in 10 kids performs a tick check after spending time outside. We want that to change.

Made especially for kids, our tick check song and video walks kids step-by-step through a proper tick check and does it in a way that is FUN and ENGAGING. When kids come in from the outdoors, they sing this CATCHY song (trust us, it’s going to stick in your head!) and check their bodies for ticks.

They’ll have so much fun with it – they might not realize it’s actually an educational tool.

We’re inviting you – no matter your age! – to get in front of the camera and record yourself performing your own interpretation of a proper tick check. Participating in the #TickCheckChallenge brings not only light-hearted fun but also an important opportunity to spread tick prevention awareness. Teaching kids to protect themselves – in a way that is FUN & ENGAGING – is POWERFUL and can PROTECT and SAVE lives.

Show us how you CHECK FOR TICKS! ⭐ TAKE THE #TICKCHECKCHALLENGE: bit.ly/3gC4n3n ⭐

CREDITS: Written and performed by Louis and Dan and the Invisible Band Produced by Invisible International and PA Lyme Resource Network Music Video directed by Louis Epstein Shot and edited by Chris Flicek Starring Julia Strand as “The Tick”

Visit https://palyme.org/tick-check-challen… to learn more about tick and Lyme disease awareness – and take the #tickcheckchallenge​!

For more:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Prevention, Ticks

Gundersen Still Giving Wrong Advice About Tick Bites

Please see my comment after the article.

https://www.gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/be-well/how-to-remove-an-embedded-tick/

Removing ticks: The right way and the wrong way

Tick season is here! While most tick bites are harmless, some ticks can carry diseases, such as Lyme disease. Knowing what steps to take following a tick bite can reduce your risk of infection.

Remove the embedded tick as soon as possible. The longer a tick is attached, the higher the risk of transmitting tick-borne illnesses.

Follow these steps:

  • Gently pull the tick out with tweezers by grasping its head as close to the skin as possible.
  • If the head remains, try to remove with a sterile needle.
  • Wash the bite site with soap and water. Rubbing alcohol may be used to disinfect the area.
  • Apply an ice pack to reduce pain.

Avoid the following:

  • Do not grab the tick at the rear of the body
  • Do not twist or jerk tick while pulling it out
  • Do not use alternative methods to remove it; such as fingernail polish, alcohol, petroleum products, or a hot match.

Identify the tick. Take note of the size and color of the tick, whether it was attached to the skin (ticks must bite you to spread their germs), if it was engorged (full of blood) and about how long it was attached. A healthcare provider may ask you these questions if you begin to experience symptoms.

Watch for symptoms. If signs of infection, rash or flu-like symptoms occur within 30 days of the tick bite, seek medical attention.

Remember, a tick that is crawling on you but has not attached to your skin cannot infect you. However, if you find one tick, there could be more. Check your body carefully and use these tips to prevent future bites. Prevention is the best medicine.

If you have questions regarding tick bites or bug bites, contact our 24/7 Nurse Advisor Line at (608) 775-4454.

____________________

**Comment**

Taking the “wait and see” approach has doomed thousands to a life-time of misery.  Wisconsin has a high rate of infected ticks, which simply means you have a higher likelihood of becoming infected. Any risk involved with taking a few weeks of antibiotics is well worth it.  This 5 year old article states:

On average, about 22 percent of deer tick nymphs in Wisconsin have been found to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. The infection rate for adults is about twice as high, around 40-45 percent. In some locations, though, researchers have found infection rates as high as 75 percent of the tick population.

I assure you, it’s only getting worse.

ILADS recommends at least 20 days of doxycycline for an acute tick-bite. It’s important to remember that this mono therapy will not cover many of the confections so it’s important to track symptoms and keep in close contact with your doctor – preferably an ILADS-trained doctor who understand the nuances of treatment.  And coinfections are just as bad if not worse than Lyme disease.  Some of these infections can be transmitted within minutes and have a high mortality rate, so each and every tick bite needs to be taken as seriously as a heart attack.

This article is much more thorough.  Please file it away for future reference if you get a tick bite.

Also, go here for prevention methods.

Category:

Lyme, Prevention, Testing, Ticks, Transmission

Connecticut Reports its First Case of Tick-borne Powassan Virus in 2022: What to Know

https://www.srgblog.com/connecticut-reports-its-first-case-of-tick-borne-powassan-virus-in-2022-what-to-know/

Connecticut reports its first case of tick-borne Powassan virus in 2022: What to know

By

The Connecticut Department of Public Health announced the state’s first reported Powassan virus infection of the year this past Wednesday. Powassan virus is a rare disease spread by the same tick that causes Lyme disease, according to a recent press release. 

“The identification of a Connecticut resident with Powassan virus associated illness emphasizes the need to take actions to prevent tick bites from now through the late fall,” said Dr. Manisha Juthani, who is the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Health.

“Using insect repellent, avoiding areas where ticks are likely, and checking carefully for ticks after being outside can reduce the chance of you or your children being infected with this virus.”

Powassan virus, first discovered in Powassan, Ontario in 1958, is usually spread through the bite of an infected black-legged or deer tick, officially known as Ixodes scapularis, and can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after a tick bite, but it can take a week up to one month to develop symptoms, per the release. (See link for article)

________________

SUMMARY:

  • The article regurgitates the myth that it takes 36-48 hours for a tick to transmit Lyme, when minimum transmission times have never been established.  Treat each and every tick bite as seriously as a heart attack.
  • They state infections secondary to Powassan have been recognized.  In fact, there are 19 and counting different infections ticks transmit – and they can transmit them simultaneously.
  • They falsely state that Powassan infections are rare.  What is rare, is they are rarely reported.  Big difference.
  • While those who work outdoors are perhaps at greater risk, you can become infected right in your own back yard.
  • The infected Connecticut man had central nervous system symptoms and was hospitalized and diagnosed, but is now recovering at home.
  • Early symptoms look like every other tick-borne illness (headache, flu-like symptoms, and even no symptoms at all) but can rapidly progress to confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures.
  • Since it’s a virus, mainstream medicine believes there is no effective treatment.  Similarly to COVID, there is.  Please see a Lyme literate doctor asap. 
  • 1 in 10 cases are fatal, with half of survivors experiencing long-term complications.
  • The article falsely states touts the EM or bulls-eye rash as an “early symptom”.  This rash is highly variable and many never get it at all.  To be clear, IF you get the rash you have Lyme disease and should immediately start treatment.  To wait is foolish and irresponsible.
  • The article ends as every single article on TBIs ends – with tick prevention.  It’s sad that I can almost state what these articles say without even reading them.  Same old, same old – nothing new here.

For more: 

 

 

Category:

Ticks, Transmission, Treatment, Viruses

Maine CDC Confirms Fatal Case of Powassan Virus in Waldo County

https://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=DHS+Press+Releases&id=7360066&v=dhhs_article_2020

Maine CDC confirms fatal case of Powassan virus in Waldo County

April 20, 2022

Rare illness spread by bite of infected ticks

AUGUSTA – The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has confirmed a fatal case of Powassan virus infection in a Waldo County resident. The adult developed neurologic symptoms and died while in the hospital. This person likely became infected in Maine.

Cases of Powassan virus are rare in the United States, with about 25 cases reported each year since 2015. Maine has identified 14 cases since 2010. Humans become infected with Powassan through the bite of an infected deer or woodchuck tick.

“Ticks are active and looking for a host to bite right now,” said Nirav D. Shah, Director of the Maine CDC. “I urge Maine people and visitors to take steps that prevent tick bites.”

Symptoms of Powassan virus infection usually start one week to one month after the tick bite. People who get sick may have fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, or memory loss. Some may experience serious neurologic problems, such as brain or spinal cord inflammation. Severe infection may result in death. Many people infected with Powassan virus do not get sick.

There is no specific treatment available for this disease. If you experience these symptoms, call a health care provider as soon as you can.

The best protection against all tickborne diseases is to prevent tick bites. Use these strategies to prevent tick bites:

  • Know what tick habitat is — wooded and bushy areas with tall grass — and use caution in areas where ticks may live.
  • Avoid these areas and stay in the middle of trails whenever possible.
  • Use an EPA-approved repellent on skin. Use Permethrin on clothing for added protection.
  • Perform tick checks every day, and especially after leaving tick habitat and after returning home. Bathe or shower after coming inside to wash crawling ticks off your body. Also examine clothing, gear, and pets.
  • Ask a veterinarian about tick bite prevention for cats and dogs.

For more information:

__________________

**Comment**

To clarify:

POWASSAN VIRUS IS NOT RARE.

Coppe Lab out of Wisconsin emphatically states Powassan is NOT rare:

http://www.coppelabs.com/blog/why-is-powassan-virus-infection-still-described-as-rare-and-mysterious/  Please read the following excerpt by Coppe Lab here in Wisconsin,

For the last two years, Coppe Laboratories has dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to dispelling the myth that infection with Powassan virus, a virus transmitted by tick bite, is rare. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reports only 100 cases of Powassan virus infection in the United States in the last 10 years. Indeed, that statistic gives the illusion that Powassan infection is rare. However, did you know that the only infections reported to CDC are those that are life-threatening, particularly cases causing severe inflammation of the brain like the case reported in LiveScience? Coppe has published three new papers in the last year that clearly show Powassan virus infection is not rare are at all, and until testing for this virus is included as part of tick-borne disease screening panels infections will continue to be underreported. Coppe’s Powassan Guide, which can be downloaded from the website, summarizes the findings from both tick and human Powassan prevalence studies, as well as defining the patient populations that would benefit most from Powassan testing.

For more:

Category:

Prevention, Ticks, Viruses

Ask the Expert: 6 Tips for Creating a Tick-Free Zone in Your Yard

https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/2022/04/24/ask-expert-tips-bug-bites-ticks-mulch-advice  Video Here (Approx. 1 Min)

Ask the Expert: 6 tips for creating a tick-free zone in your yard

The Columbus Dispatch

Editor’s note: Throughout the growing season, Mike Hogan, OSU Extension Educator for Agriculture & Natural Resources in Franklin County, will answer gardening questions submitted by Dispatch readers. Send your questions to hogan.1@osu.edu.

Q: Last summer while spending time in our backyard, ticks appeared on my legs on many occasions. Is there a pesticide that can be used early in the spring to prevent ticks from infesting the yard later this summer?

A: There are pesticides available that control ticks — they are called acaricides — but relying on the use of such products is rarely an effective season-long strategy if the environment is favorable for ticks.

Here are some tips to create a tick-safe zone in your yard:

  • Clear tall grass and brush around the home and at the edge of the lawn.
  • Place a 3-foot-wide barrier of wood chips, mulch or gravel between lawns and wooded areas.
  • Mow the lawn frequently and keep leaves raked.
  • Stack firewood neatly and in a dry area to discourage rodents, which ticks feed on.
  • When locating playground equipment, patios and decks, try to place these areas away from wooded areas and trees and in a sunny location when feasible.
  • Remove any trash and unused items from the yard, because these materials may give ticks a place to hide.
The practice of mulching too deeply, knwn as volcano mulching can slowly kill trees and shrubs.

Q: I have had a disagreement with our landscaper the past few years about mulch beds in our yard. Our landscaper says that new mulch should be added each spring, but the mulch is getting deep and I do not see a need for adding more mulch. Do you have any thoughts on this issu

A: Yes! The main thought is that mulch should never, ever, ever be more than 2 to 4 inches deep. Ever! No matter where the mulch is located -— in flower or perennial beds, shrub beds, vegetable gardens, and particularly around trees in the landscape, mulch should be spread to a thickness of no deeper than 4 inches.

(See link for article and video)

__________________

SUMMARY:

  • Please see this article for info on how to dress, protect your yard, protect your pets, and properly use acaricides.
  • The expert talks about volcano mulching, which is harmful to trees, shrubs and other woody ornamentals due to causing oxygen deprivation to the roots of the plant, as well as repelling away water if it becomes compacted.  Also make sure to put mulch 2-3 inches away from the trunk of the tree.
  • Before adding new mulch to an area with pre-existing mulch, remove some of the old mulch first so depth never exceeds 4 inches.
  • Essentially you want to make your yard a tough place for ticks to survive by keeping it cleared of debris.  Also, repel wildlife that ticks travel on.  Bird feeders and bird baths draw birds into the yard, as well any other food that will draw wildlife.

Category:

Prevention, Ticks