Tick Season in Anne Arundel County

Whether you like to hike, walk your dog or play sports, summer is the perfect time to enjoy your favorite outdoor activity -- but it's also the perfect time for ticks that carry the threat of Lyme disease.

Anne Arundel County had 85 cases of Lyme disease in 2011, 114 cases in 2010, 194 cases in 2009, 185 in 2008 and 196 in 2007, according to the Department of Health website. Cases are reported throughout the county and are not concentrated in any particular area.

If you can’t stay away from the great outdoors this summer, there are still things you can do to protect yourself from ticks, according to the health department.

• Wear light-colored, long sleeved shirts and pants that you can tuck into your socks when working or walking in areas likely to have ticks.
• Spray arms and legs with an insect repellent containing DEET (up to 30 percent for adults, 10 percent for children) or picaridin. For occasional exposure, adults can spray clothing with an insecticide, permethrin, for more protection. Use repellents and insecticides as directed by the manufacturer. Follow your doctor's advice for extended use or for use on children, during pregnancy or if you have skin problems.
• It is very important that parents conduct a thorough inspection of children. Look along the hairline, in the hair and ears, and where clothing fits snugly. Because ticks can spread other serious illnesses, a whole body inspection every three to four hours is safest when in grassy or wooded areas.
• After coming indoors, wash and dry clothes as soon as possible, preferably at a hot temperature. Wash off insect repellent remaining on the skin.
• Remove leaves, brush and tall grass around houses, pathways and gardens.
• Treat and discourage infestations of mice in or near houses.

If you find a tick on your body, the health department website recommends the following steps:

• Remove the tick right away, but do not touch it with your bare hands. Use tweezers to grip the tick behind its head and as close to the skin as you can. Gently pull it off. If tweezers are not available, use your fingers wearing gloves or a tissue. Do not smash or burn the tick. Tick Removal.
• After removing the tick, wash your hands with soap and water or waterless alcohol-based hand rub. Clean the tick bite with an antiseptic such as iodine scrub, rubbing alcohol, or soap and water.
• Mark a calendar on the date you found the tick and watch for symptoms for at least a month.
• If a rash develops or you experience other symptoms within 3 to 32 days, call your physician immediately.

If you have Lyme disease or another tick-borne infection, check out a at the at 6:30 p.m. on July 3. The group offers information about Lyme and other tick-borne infections, and organizes local awareness events.

Visit the Anne Arundel County Department of Health website for more information.

Test your knowledge of Lyme disease with this five question quiz found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.