Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases
Lyme disease is the most common disease spread by ticks in New York, but ticks can spread other serious diseases.
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What is Lyme disease?
Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection that can cause fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash and, if left untreated, can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Symptoms
- Most people who get Lyme disease get a rash around the tick bite, though it may not appear until long after the initial tick bite. At first, the rash looks like a red circle, but as the circle gets bigger, the middle changes color, so the rash looks like a bull’s-eye.
- Some people don’t get a rash, but feel sick, like they have the flu. They could have swelling and pain in their joints and a stiff, sore neck. Their face could become numb or even paralyzed.
- Individuals could become forgetful or have trouble paying attention.
Prevention
- Use insect repellants containing from 10% to 35% DEET when camping and hiking
- Wear light-colored long pants and long-sleeved clothing so that ticks are easier to spot before they attach to the skin.
- Remove ticks promptly.
- Avoid overgrown brush by walking in the center of the trail, and remove brush from personal residences.
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