Avoiding ticks and tick-borne diseases, including Lyme Disease

By Jennifer Kraus, MD
Virtua Health Infectious Disease Specialist

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of our behaviors. With theaters and many stores closed and restaurants restricted to pick-up or delivery, many of us find ourselves spending a lot more time outside.

Will that result in an increase in the number of cases of Lyme Disease, which is transmitted by deer ticks? That's difficult to say for sure, but New Jersey has typically been among the states reporting the most tick-borne illnesses.

We often encounter deer ticks after spending time in heavily wooded areas, but even if you don't spend much time outdoors, you still need to be alert. If you have pets, you should know that a cat or dog can easily bring a tick into your house.

One way to protect yourself from ticks is spraying your skin with a DEET-containing insect repellent, or spraying your clothing (and clothing only) with a permethrin-containing insect repellent.

What to do if you find a tick

There's no need to panic if you are outside and find a tick on you. Simply brush it off. A tick must be attached to you for 36 hours to spread the disease. Yes, 36 hours. And that may seem like a really long time, but ticks are exceptionally good at hiding.

So after you've been outside, especially in a high-risk environment, check your body and clothes for ticks. If you find one that's not attached, brush it off. If you find a tick attached to you, don't just yank it out. Follow the CDC's guidelines for quick removal to ensure you never come into contact with the Lyme bacteria. Remember, ticks excel at hiding, so you need to check your scalp, back and in the folds of skin—especially the back of the knee, the underarm, and between the legs.

Early symptoms of Lyme Disease

There are two main symptoms:

A bulls-eye rash rash is one of the most recognizable symptoms of Lyme Disease. A few days after a tick bite, it will expand and may turn into a read outer ring with a clear area inside. Almost everyone has some sort of redness and sensitivity to a tick bit, but it's important to note that this rash is not tender. So if it looks like it should hurt and doesn't, it's cause for concern.

The other symptoms resemble the flu: This can include fever, headache, neck stiffness and fatigue. Of course, these symptoms have similarities to COVID-19, which can cause confusion.

How is Lyme Disease treated?

A round of oral antibiotics is usually all it takes. If you take antibiotics for two-to-three weeks and aren't feeling better, you probably don't have Lyme Disease. In that case, you should reach out to an infectious disease specialist for further evaluation.

Ticks carry other diseases

Unfortunately, the same ticks that carry Lyme Disease can get you sick in other ways, too.

They also carry:

• Ehrlichiosis
• Anaplasma
• Babesiosis
• Powassan virus
• Other illnesses associated with ticks: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Heartland virus, and the tick-borne relapsing fever caused by Borrelia miyamotoi.

The symptoms of the diseases are similar, so you'll want to see your doctor for a diagnosis.

For more tips on avoiding deer ticks and information on treating Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses,visit Virtua's website.

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Virtua Health is committed to helping the people of South Jersey be well, get well, and stay well by providing the complete spectrum of advanced, accessible, and trusted health care services. Virtua's 14,000 colleagues provide tertiary care, including a renowned cardiology program, complemented by a community-based care portfolio. In addition to five hospitals, two satellite emergency departments, and more than 280 other locations, Virtua brings health services directly into communities through home health, rehabilitation, mobile screenings, and its paramedic program.