The sun is finally out but with spring comes pesky ticks that bring all kinds of illnesses, including Lyme disease.
Experts predict that after a wet winter, this year will see a busy tick season. Local public health officials said that now is the right time to start prepping for the reappearance of the hungry blood-sucking arachnids.
Ticks thrive in warm weather and they are often found in very wooded areas where a lot of faunas, specifically deer and field mice, live. However, people who live in urban areas are not safe from the critters.
According to Tamar Barlam, the interim chief of the Section of Infectious Disease at Boston Medical Center, aside from Lyme, ticks could also carry anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Both diseases can be treated, she told Boston University Research.
How To Keep The Ticks Out
However, as they say, prevention is key. To start, the New York State Department of Health instructs the public to treat their yards in order to cut down the number of ticks that might have survived winter. The public health agency added that ticks are most commonly found in areas near the woods or flower beds. Those are the places to look out for and be treated for ticks.
Pets can also carry the pests into the home. There are vaccines and other products that can prevent ticks from attaching onto cats and dogs.
How To Avoid Tick-Borne Diseases
Unfortunately, for humans, there no vaccines that can prevent anyone from getting sick from a tick bite. There are still ways to prevent getting bitten.
One way to prevent ticks is to wear light-colored clothing when venturing out into areas where the bloodsuckers are likely to be found. It would be easier to spot and remove ticks from light-colored clothing. It is also best to wear clothing covering ankles and arms.
Anti-repellant lotions and sprays can also help keep ticks and mosquitos away.
If bitten, experts say do not freak out. To get a tick off, use a pair of tweezers to grab the tick by its head and pull carefully away from the skin.
Dr. Barlam explained that ticks have to feed for a long time before it can transfer diseases. Wait for symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and pains, and rashes to appear before seeing a doctor.
