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The female deer tick has a
tear drop shape with a reddish orange abdomen and solid
black dorsal shield. The male is smaller and a uniform
black in color. The nymph also has a tear drop shape,
but is a dark brown to black in color
The female lone star tick is more roundest and has single,
white spot in the center of it's body. The male, also
round, has a chestnut brown color with no distinguishing
markings. The nymph is a uniform light brown color and
round in comparison to the deer tick.
The female dog tick is oblong with white markings on the
dorsal shield. The abdomen is dark brown. The
male has white markings over the entire body. The
nymph is oblong and a solid dark brown in color.
Female and nymphal ticks feed and can transmit diseases.
Male ticks do not feed and do not transmit diseases.
Removing a deer tick within 24 hours greatly reduces the
likelihood of Lyme disease transmission.
Not all ticks are infected. On average 20-40% of deer
ticks are able to transmit diseases.
As long as temperatures are above freezing, deer ticks are
active the entire year. Peak activity months are May to June
(Nymphs) and October/November and again in April (Adults).
Remove ticks with tweezers only
(bent, "needle-nose" tweezers are best). Apply steady backward
force until the tick is dislodged. Do NOT use alcohol, nail
polish, hot matches, petroleum jelly or other methods to remove ticks.
These methods may actually traumatize ticks, causing them to
regurgitate their gut contents, which may include the Lyme disease
bacterium. The Lyme disease bacterium can infect several parts of the
body, producing different symptoms at different times. Not all
patients with Lyme disease will have all symptoms, and many of the
symptoms can occur with other diseases as well. If you believe you
may have Lyme disease, it is important that you consult your
health care provider for proper diagnosis.
rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of infected persons and begins
at the site of a tick bite after a delay of 3-30 days. A
distinctive feature of the rash is that it gradually expands over
a period of several days, reaching up to 12 inches (30 cm) across.
The center of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in a
bull’s-eye appearance. It may be warm but is not usually painful.
Some patients develop additional EM lesions in other areas of the
body after several days. Patients also experience symptoms of
fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches, and
swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, these may be the only symptoms
of infection.
Patients treated with antibiotics in the early stages of the
infection usually recover rapidly and completely. A few patients,
particularly those diagnosed with later stages of disease, may
have persistent or recurrent symptoms. These patients may benefit
from a second 4-week course of therapy. Longer courses of
antibiotic treatment have not been shown to be beneficial and have
been linked to serious complications, including death.
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Nymphal deer ticks and nymphal
lone star ticks are most active from May through early July when most
cases of Lyme disease are contracted.
EARLY LYME DISEASE
-
Headache
-
flu like symptoms
-
"bull's-eye" rash (>2" in
diameter)
-
swelling and pain in the
joints
-
fatigue
PERSONAL PROTECTION
Outdoor pursuits need not be discontinued as long as precautions are
taken to prevent a tick bite:
-
avoid tall
grass and shrubbery areas
-
wear
light-colored clothing (ticks are easier to see)
-
wear long
pants tucked into socks
-
widen trails
through woods (to 6 feet)
-
remove brush
piles
-
keep turf
grass mowed
-
thin out low
shrub vegetation in woods
-
wear a tick
repellent
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