The American College of Emergency Physicians recently offered precautions against tick bites and Lyme disease, particularly in wooded areas.
"With more than 20,000 new cases reported annually in the last few years, the incidence of Lyme disease is increasing," especially in Northeast, mid-Atlantic and North-Central states, Brian Keaton, organization president, said in a statement.
Lyme disease is a tick-borne, flulike illness that is successfully treated about 90 percent of the time with antibiotics, if caught early enough. When diagnosis is delayed, however, serious chronic joint, heart and nervous system ailments can result.
Lyme disease is carried by the common deer tick, which feeds on deer, white-footed mice and other mammals. It is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi, a spiral-shaped bacterium that is most prevalent when deer ticks are at their tiny nymph stage.
About 23,300 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2005, up from some 17,000 in 2001 and 12,000 in 1995. In addition, the CDC indicates that many more cases might go undetected, and therefore unreported, because up to 75 percent of people who get the disease fail to detect the tiny ticks, which often attach themselves to the scalp, groin, armpits and other hidden areas.
The most characteristic symptom of Lyme disease is the classic bull's-eye rash, often the first sign of infection. But the rash does not appear in all cases, the doctors group said. Other early symptoms include fever, chills, stiff neck, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. The symptoms usually appear within a few weeks of infection.
Later-stage symptoms of Lyme disease are more serious. Chief among them is arthritis, particularly in the knees. Others include severe headaches, abnormal heartbeats, Bell's palsy, numbness and tingling, coordination problems, fatigue, muscle pain, memory loss and cognitive difficulties.
To avoid exposure to Lyme disease, the organization recommends these measures:
� Cover up when outside, especially near wooded areas and grasslands. Wear a hat and long-sleeve, light-color clothing; and tuck pants into socks so ticks will be easier to spot.
� Avoid wooded areas, piles of leaves and tall grasses. If hiking, stay on wide, clear trails.
� Use insect repellents, such as DEET (no more than 10 to 30 percent formula for children), on clothing and skin.
� Check yourself regularly for ticks; shower or bathe after potential exposure.
� Use tick repellents on pets; check their fur, ears and paws for ticks.
� If bitten, remove the tick by pulling it straight up with tweezers (or between your fingertips). Avoid twisting the tick, which might cause its body parts to remain embedded underneath the skin, often causing infection.
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