​Health Department Encourages to be on Alert for Ticks

From the Trumbull Health Department: Spring is here, and with spring, comes ticks! The Trumbull Health Department encourages residents to be on the alert for ticks – peak season is from April to September. Children are at particularly high risk. The incidence of Lyme disease is higher in children under the age of 10 than in any other age group. Most cases of Lyme disease are associated with the nymphal stage of the deer tick. Nymphs are small (about the size of a pinhead), difficult to spot, and are active during the late spring and summer months when you and your family spend more time outdoors.

Yard play and camping activities are high on the list of childhood options and should be encouraged and enjoyed. By using recommended personal protection techniques consistently, you can assure that you and your children can enjoy the wonders of nature without fear of Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses.

“The Health Department encourages residents to reduce their chances of getting a tick-borne disease this spring,” said Rhonda Capuano, Trumbull Health Department Director of Health. “Dress appropriately when going outside, conduct daily tick checks, and use repellents.”

The Health Department encourages residents to protect themselves this tick season by taking simple action steps:

• Know where ticks live and avoid these habitats.
• Conduct daily tick checks on family and pets.
• Remove ticks promptly with tweezers. Do not use rubbing alcohol or soap and water to remove the tick.
• Dress appropriately when entering areas where ticks live. Wear long pants, light in color, tucked into socks; wear long shirt, tucked into pants; cover hair with hat. Remove and check clothing for ticks after leaving any suspect tick habitat.
• Use insect (and tick) repellent to further reduce tick exposure. There are many varieties including botanical, herbal or natural-based repellents. Choose what is right for you. For more information on repellents visit the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/bulletins/b1010.pdf (Tick Management Handbook). Use veterinarian recommended control products on pets. Be sure to follow manufacturers’ recommendations.

Engorged ticks can be brought to the Health Department in a plastic bag for testing. Ticks are sent to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. The cost is $3.00.

For more information on Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases visit the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s website at http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2837&q=378212.

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