Lyme Disease Awareness Month

Posted on by R. Ellick
With spring in full bloom and summer just around the corner here in Virginia, folks’ attention turns to the great outdoors. Hiking in the mountains, working in the yard, spending time out in nature can be great for your health. It’s also important to take basic precautions to avoid tick bites while enjoying the outdoors so that Lyme or other tickborne diseases don’t spoil your summer. 
Lyme disease is commonly reported in Virginia and is prevalent in suburban regions of the northern and western parts of Virginia. This includes higher mountainous areas of the state and areas along the coast where temperatures are mild. It’s spread by the bite of the blacklegged tick (a.k.a., deer tick), which is common in these parts of Virginia.

Fight the Bite! 

To draw the public’s attention to the disease, May is designated as Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
Lyme disease, the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the US, affects an estimated 476,000+ Americans each year. Vector-borne diseases are spread by vectors, like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

How Lyme Disease Spreads 

Blacklegged ticks and other ticks thrive in suburban forests where there are domestic and wild animals with. Ticks become infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease when they feed on a wildlife host, usually a rodent.  Deer are the most important animal contributing to tick reproduction. This is because adult male and female ticks meet and mate on the deer.  While deer are important for the tick lifecycle, deer are not infected with Lyme disease bacteria and do not infect ticks.
Blacklegged ticks can be found primarily in:
  • Forests
  • Along the forest edge
  • Shaded grassy areas
  • Tall brush

Symptoms of Lyme Disease 

The earliest sign of possible infection is a “bulls-eye” rash around the site of the tick bite. Other early symptoms include:
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Headache
  • Joint or muscle pain
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Fatigue
Since some of these symptoms are common to many other illnesses, pinpointing Lyme disease as the cause can be difficult in this early stage.
If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause the following signs and symptoms: 
  • Severe headaches and neck stiffness
  • Pain in the tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
  • Rashes on other areas of the body
  • Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, especially in the knees and other large joints
  • Facial palsy with the facial muscles drooping on one side
  • Nerve pain and shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands and feet
  • Irregular heartbeat, dizziness, and/or shortness of breath
  • Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord

Protect Yourself from Ticks 

  • Avoid contact with ticks. Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails when possible.
  • When outside where ticks may be present: 
    • Use a Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.
    • EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best suits your needs.
    • Always follow product instructions and do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.
  • Wear protective clothing like pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck socks into pants to prevent ticks from getting underneath clothes.
  • If you’ve been outside, hiking or camping, it’s important to check yourself for ticks and remove any you find immediately.
    • Make sure to remove them in the correct way.
    • If you find a tick and are unsure how long it has been on your body, preserve the tick in rubbing alcohol or a plastic bag.
    • Keeping the tick can be helpful. If you develop symptoms, identifying the tick can help determine they type of treatment you may need.
    • VDH offers tick identification through the Virginia Tick Survey.

If You Have Symptoms 

  • If you notice any of early symptoms of Lyme disease, consult with your healthcare provide as soon as possible.
  • Getting treatment in the early stages of Lyme Disease can help prevent severe disease and any long-term effects.

Learn More 

To learn more Lyme disease, see the VDH Lime Disease fact sheet.
To earn more about ticks, the diseases they’re associated with, and how to prevent tick bites check out the VDH tick resource page.