Deer and Lyme Disease
By Kristi Vaughan
One of the health concerns of having a large deer population around is the existence of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is an infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Borrealia burgorfei and transmitted primarily through the bite of the tiny deer tick.
It is called Lyme disease because it was first noticed among children in the town of Lyme, CT. Lyme disease is still most prevalent in the northeastern and north central United States but has been found in numerous other areas as well. In fact, in 2002 all states except Hawaii, Oklahoma and Montana reported cases to the
The deer tick, which is much smaller than the common dog and cattle tick, is carried by deer, the population of which has been increasing in the Northeast. Not all deer ticks carry the bacteria but anyone who is outside in an infested area risks exposure. Rodents such as mice also can be carriers of the deer tick.
Prevention
Being aware of the risk and taking precautions against being bit are the best individual means of preventing Lyme disease.
Precautionary steps include:
- Avoid tick infested areas, especially in spring and summer
- Inspect yourself, and your children, after being outdoors
- Wear light-colored clothing to better enable you to see the tiny ticks
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts if you have to be in a tick-infested area
- Tuck pant legs into socks so ticks can’t get to your bod
Symptoms
Lyme disease is not always easy to recognize as the symptoms sometimes are vague or associated with other illnesses. Most often, an infected person will have a fever, joint and muscle aches, malaise and fatigue. Sometimes there will be a
Treatment
The most common line of treatment is antibiotics. When the disease is in its early stages doctors have found that a three to four week course of antibiotics usually works. In more severe cases, the Mayo Clinic reports that hospitalization and intravenous antibiotic treatment is sometimes needed.
