Tick season is here, along with the increased danger of Lyme disease. As we head outdoors, Stony Brook Children's Hospital experts want you to be ready for ticks.
Scientists and medical experts say the warm winters have helped keep ticks unusually active year-round. That means more bites and more chances of being infected with diseases related to ticks. Both Lyme disease and anaplasmosis (another tick-borne disease with symptoms that include fever, headache, chills and muscle aches) are carried by deer ticks, also known as blacklegged ticks.
Stony Brook Southampton Hospital's Regional Tick-Borne Disease Center in Hampton Bays, NY, the first and only dedicated tick clinic in the Northeast with a dedicated team of infectious disease specialists to treat children and adults for tick bites and diagnose tick-borne illnesses, has seen an increase in cases since March and expect the trend will likely continue.
"Be sure to check yourself carefully after being outdoors, enjoying backyards, parks and hiking trails," says Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital. "Smaller nymphal ticks are harder to find than larger adults. Adult ticks are approximately the size of a sesame seed and nymphal ticks are approximately the size of a poppy seed. This is the time of year when nymphs are actively looking for a host in the environment. If you become ill after a tick bite, seek medical attention. Generally, an evaluation of symptoms and blood tests will be used in making a diagnosis. Prompt diagnosis and treatment will help improve the outcome for patients."
She adds, "Symptoms can vary as different kinds of ticks can transmit different diseases. Studies have shown that a blacklegged tick must stay on the body for 36 hours to transmit Lyme disease. Prompt and proper tick removal is essential and may decrease your chances of getting tick-borne diseases."
Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious disease expert from Stony Brook Children's Hospital, emphasizes that preventive measures should be used whenever tick-exposure is likely. Here are some steps to follow:
- When you go outside, be sure to wear mosquito or insect repellent. Be sure to apply insect or tick repellent containing 20-30% DEET.
- Wear long pants and tuck the legs of the pants into your socks. This prevents ticks from crawling up onto your skin.
- When you come back inside, remove your clothes and shoes. Then, place them in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that might be on them.
- Check your body, particularly in skin folds and hairy areas, for any ticks.
Since 2015, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s Regional Tick-Borne Disease Resource Center has been operating a free tick help line (631) 726-TICK (8425).
For the Stony Brook Regional Tick-Borne Disease Center, adults can schedule an appointment by calling (631) 725-2112. To make an appointment for a child, please call: (631) 444-KIDS (5437).