"Borrelia burgdorferi."
Sounds like the name of some obscure medieval Italian historian, but
it's actually the bacteria responsible for the malady known as Lyme
Disease. Lyme Disease, as most of us know, comes from the deer tick
found in many parts of the US. It's an unsavory creature that, when
fully engorged, looks like a plump, juicy raisin.
Like a short lived romance, the greatest likelihood of contracting Lyme Disease
is between May and September, when the nymph tick feeds. Named for
its association with the white-tailed deer, the tick thrives in
moist, dark wooded areas. Another tick-related disease, Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever, is common in the western United States.
Borrelia burgdorferi lives in the tick's bowels and travels to the salivary
glands once the tick has attached itself to flesh and begun to feed.
Though its common host is a dog, cat, or other outside animal, the
pesky tick is not choosy and will latch onto a human with as much
vigor as a pooch. The greatest likelihood of contracting Lyme Disease
takes place when the tick becomes engorged, having fed between 24
and 36 hours. This is when bacteria-contaminated blood may pass
from the tick back into its "host." So, while the first thought,
when discovering an embedded tick, is to quickly yank it off, one
runs the risk of squeezing contaminated blood back into the body
when doing so. Bad idea.
Before we go there, though, let's talk prevention. Animals are most often subject
to potential tick attacks; especially those that spend any amount
of time outdoors. Daily grooming is the best medicine. Add to this
the use of repellants or insecticides in their collars. Dips, sprays,
and creams work just as well. If you prefer not to use nasty chemicals
on Fido, you may wish to have him inoculated with a commercial vaccine
instead. Interestingly, up to 80% of dogs living in infested areas
may become infected with Lyme Disease, though only about 5% may
exhibit symptoms such as lameness, joint pain, lethargy, and loss
of appetite.
In people, Lyme Disease is most often accompanied by a "bull's eye"
rash, fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle and joint aches. Fortunately, a human
cannot catch Lyme Disease from an infected pet, but must receive his or her
own personal tick bite. Preventative measures include wearing long sleeves and
pants when outside, and avoiding wooded, shaded and moist areas as much as possible.
Check for ticks often, inspecting your own shaded, moist areas like armpits,
neck nape, and crotch (they show up in surprising places). Embedded
ticks should be removed using fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick
firmly and as close to the skin as possible, steadily pulling away
from the skin. Contrary to popular belief, the use of petroleum
jelly, a hot match, nail polish, or other similar products are not
recommended. Once the offending critter has been extricated, cleanse
the area with an antiseptic, after which time you may decide to
swear off raisins forever.
