• Lyme Disease Prevention

    Check yourself and your children for ticks after being outside.   Deer tick size from newly hatched to adult

    There are ticks in Lewis County that could be carrying Lyme disease. Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria spread by the bite of an infected Deer Tick (most commonly), also known as a black-legged tick, but can also be spread by other ticks such as the Lone Star Tick. Common symptoms of Lyme disease include a rash, fever, body aches, facial paralysis, and arthritis.  When in wooded, grassy, and brush-covered areas, avoid contact with low-lying vegetation. Wear light-colored long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pants into socks or boots, and shirt into pants. Repellents containing DEET may provide some protection. To remove a tick, using tweezers grasp the tick near the mouth parts, as close to the skin as possible. Pull steadily and firmly until the tick lets go. Apply rubbing alcohol to the site. Save the tick in a plastic baggy for testing. For more information contact Lewis County Public Health at 367-5453. Or visit http://www.lymeactionnetwork.org/learnthefacts.pdf or http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/.

    It is very important to remove ticks promptly and to check your body daily for ticks if you live in an endemic area. Ticks can also transmit other diseases, so it's important to be alert for any illness that follows a tick bite. If you develop illness within a few weeks of a tick bite, see your health care provider right away.