Prevention
To prevent contracting Lyme disease, you should reduce the number of ticks that transmit Lyme disease. As a result, you should remove the leaves and clear the tall grass around the houses and at the edges of gardens. Reducing and managing deer populations in geographic areas where Lyme disease occurs may reduce the tick population.
CDC recommends the following for personal protection from tick bites and Lyme disease:
- Avoid tick-infested areas, especially in May, June, and July.
- Wear light-colored clothing so that ticks can be spotted more easily.
- Spray insect repellent on clothes and on exposed skin other than the face to kills ticks on contact.
- Wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt for added protection.
- Walk in the center of trails to avoid overhanging grass and brush.
- After being outside, remove clothing and wash and dry it at a high temperature as well as inspect your body carefully and remove attached ticks with a tweezer.
- Preventive antibiotic treatment to prevent Lyme disease after a known tick bite may be needed.
- Key components of primary prevention are personal protective measures and frequent tick checks.
