There is a rising epidemic of Lyme disease. More
than 100,000 cases of Lyme have been reported since 1982. I myself know a good
handful of people who have had Lyme disease. Lyme
disease was first discovered in 1975 after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis in
children who lived near Lyme, Connecticut. How do you get Lyme? Most people
think Lyme is caused directly by tick bites. However, Lyme disease is an
infectious disease (a disease caused by an outside agent) that affects the skin
first, then the joints, the nervous system and, if untreated, eventually other
organs. Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called
Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is found in the wild in
white-footed mice and deer. These animals are bitten by juvenile
(immature) ticks. When the tick leaves the deer or mouse, the bacteria stay in
the bodies of the ticks. If the tick now bites a human it can transmit the Lyme
(Borrelia burgdorferi) to the human.
The primary types of ticks that carry Lyme disease are the Ixodes
scapularis (black-legged tick) and Ixodes pacificus (Western
black-legged tick). Black-legged ticks are responsible for
transmitting Lyme disease bacteria to humans in the northeastern and
north-central United States. On the Pacific Coast, the bacteria are transmitted
to humans by the western black-legged tick.
In order for a tick to transmit Lyme disease
to a human the tick has to remain on the human for at least a 24 hour period.
The Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria lives in the intestines of the tick.
The tick sucks the human blood and regurgitates the blood back into the human
body. This process takes at least 24 hours. If the tick has not started
regurgitating it is physically impossible to give the human the Lyme. Ticks feed
by inserting their mouths into the skin of a host and slowly take in blood. Ixodes
ticks are most likely to transmit infection after feeding for two or more days.
Ixodes pacificus (Western black-legged tick)
Sometimes called Lyme Ticks
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The problem, the ticks that most often carry
the bacteria which gives you Lyme, Ixodes scapularis
(black-legged tick) and Ixodes pacificus (Western black-legged tick), are
tiny. Ixodes ticks are much smaller than common dog
and cattle ticks. In their larval and nymphal stages, they are no bigger than a
pinhead! It is sometimes very difficult to spot these tick attached to the human
skin especially if the tick is bitten into a head covered with hair. |
American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
The American Dog Tick has been shown in several studies to
carry the Lyme disease bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. However, the issue that
is not resolved completely is whether or not this type of tick actually
transmits Lyme disease. Also, since the American Dog Tick is relatively larger
than the Ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick) and Ixodes pacificus
(Western black-legged tick), they are spotted easier and most often removed
within the 24 hour period.
If you live in a wooded area it is recommended
that you do tick checks every 12 hours. Be sure to get your pets their Lyme
shots. There are many different spays on the market for both the skin and yard
to prevent tick bites and or kill the ticks. We have all heard about the sprays
and tick collars etc... but have you ever considered getting a Guinea?
What
is a Guinea you ask?
