Posted: Friday, May 23, 2008 1:00 am
By Sonia Dasgupta sdasgupta@cecilwhig.com | 0 comments
Spending time outdoors at the local park, in the woods or on the water is a summer pastime of many children and adults.
However, little ticks can put a damper on fun when they bite and cause a rash. That bite could also lead to Lyme disease.
Lucy Barnes, director of the Lyme Disease Education and Support Groups of Maryland, said Cecil County is one of the worst areas in the state for Lyme.
“You’ve got the bay, the woods and fields,” Barnes said.
She said although most people think they can only get Lyme disease from a deer tick, other ticks carry the disease as well. Many people who are bitten are misdiagnosed, she said.
“Less than 50 percent of people get the rash,” Barnes said. “And in children less than 10 percent get a rash.”
The Center for Disease Control reported that for every reported case, seven to 12 have been missed.
Gov. Martin O’Malley has declared the month of May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Maryland.
Stephanie Garrity, health officer for Cecil County, said summer months are prime tick season.
Cecil County residents should learn more about ticks and the diseases they carry and to take steps to protect themselves against these diseases, she said.
Garrity said there were 42 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Cecil County in 2000. That number increased to 63 in 2006.
“I am not certain why Cecil County and Maryland are seeing increases in the number of confirmed cases,” Garrity wrote in an e-mail message. “I suspect it is because there is increased development into areas where ticks live, like woods and fields.”
Barnes said there are ways to protect oneself from tick bites.
An unscented clothing treatment, Permanone, can prevent bites and kill ticks. She also suggested a product known as Expedition sold by Avon as a mosquito and tick repellant.
Lastly, Barnes suggested treating an area where children or families spend time outside. Products like Sevin, sold in liquid or powder form, can be spread near children’s playgrounds and backyards to prevent tick infestation.
“Every tick found in a yard means 100 more are in the yard unnoticed,” she said.
More information on Lyme disease can also be found at www.cecilcountyhealth.org or by stopping by the Health Department on Bow Street in Elkton.
Tick tips
The Web site www.marylandtickoff.org provides information about Lyme disease and ways to protect yourself.
Concerned residents can also call the Lyme disease Association at (888) 366-6611 or visitwww.lymediseaseassociation.org.
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