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By Dick Martin, PA Forest Coalition
Pennsylvania leads the nation again in reported cases of Lyme disease (for three straight years) because we have the combination of many deer, chipmunks and white-footed mice to transmit the disease.
Of course we add to the mix by simply being on the trails frequently, so here are some tips to lessen your chances of contracting Lyme disease.
While the adult female blacklegged ticks feed on deer in autumn to build up energy to lay eggs, deer are actually dead-end hosts for the Lyme disease bacteria. Deer do not contract the disease when an infected tick feeds on them, so they don't have a direct role in the transmission cycle. Blame the chipmunks and mice, which are the primary reservoirs for Lyme disease transmission! The PA Game Commission (PGC) recommends tubes which treat chipmunks with an insecticide as they crawl through them. The PGC states that these tubes can reduce ticks around homes by more than 50 percent. Click here for more information about tick tubes: http://www.practicalprimitive.com/skillofthemonth/ticktubes
On the trail, while 25% DEET is the standard for your skin, Permethrin is effective for your clothing. Agway sells Permethrin for only $7.99/ quart. Spray your boots and outer field clothes, and let them dry thoroughly overnight. Remember, it is an insecticide, so do not use it on your skin like DEET. The Army issues Permethrin for field clothes but cautions "Do not treat hats".
Removing your field clothes immediately and putting them in a dryer will desiccate the ticks, killing them. Putting outdoor gear in a Permethrin-treated plastic bag is also an option. You might also consider treating your vehicle upholstery with Permethrin.
Anyone bitten by a tick should remove it carefully (do not squeeze the belly). If it is full of blood, have it tested. Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin.
The classic "bulls-eye rash" does not always appear if you are infected. Your chances of infection are directly related to the percentage of ticks which are infected and many counties report that over 50 % of ticks are infected with Lyme disease. Chipmunks, mice and ticks have carried the illness to all 67 Pennsylvania counties.
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