Liberty, NY – Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses continue to be a health concern in Sullivan County.
“While Lyme Disease remains the prevalent tick-transmitted disease in the County, we are seeing a dramatic rise in the number of cases of anaplasmosis, another tick-borne illness,” notes Public Health Director Nancy McGraw. “In all of 2019, Sullivan County had 653 cases of Lyme and 32 cases of anaplasmosis. In the first half of 2021, there have already been 322 cases of Lyme and 32 cases of anaplasmosis.”
Lyme Disease and anaplasmosis both can be transmitted through the bite of the black-legged tick, or deer tick. They can cause symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and pains, headache and sometimes insomnia.
“But while Lyme Disease can sometimes cause the characteristic ‘bullseye’ rash, anaplasmosis does not cause any rash whatsoever,” explains Public Health Educator Jill Hubert-Simon, well-known as the County’s “Tick Chick.” “Even if you have not seen a tick, if you are feeling any of these symptoms, please reach out to your health care provider to discuss both Lyme Disease and anaplasmosis testing. These illnesses can be successfully treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early.”
The best defense against all tick-borne illnesses is prevention. Ticks live in shady, moist areas at ground level. They will cling to tall grass, brush and shrubs, usually no more than 18-24 inches off the ground. They also live in lawns and gardens, especially at the edges of woods and around old stone walls. To decrease the number of ticks on your yard, make sure the grass is cut, and remove any leaf litter and other litter. Also, keep the area under birdfeeders clean to minimize the number of rodents who will visit the yard.
There are some easy ways to protect yourself from tick bites and tickborne illness:
- Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
- Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
- Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors.
- Consider using insect repellent on the skin.
- Consider treating clothes with permethrin.
- Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Walk in the center of trails. Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.
- Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
- Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
- If possible, remove clothes prior to entering the main part of the house to prevent ticks from coming into the home. As an alternative, use a lint roller over clothes prior to coming into the home to remove any ticks which may remain on clothing and skin
- Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
- Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (also check children and pets), and remove ticks promptly.
For more information, call Sullivan County Public Health at 845-292-5910, ext. 2243 or visit the following websites: