Tackling ticks

Posted 8/21/12

Over the past decade, I’ve become increasingly concerned about the skyrocketing populations of ticks—and the associated rise in Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in the Upper Delaware River …

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Tackling ticks

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Over the past decade, I’ve become increasingly concerned about the skyrocketing populations of ticks—and the associated rise in Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in the Upper Delaware River region. Those concerns have been validated by a report released in September 2015 by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Karen Murphy.

Produced by the Task Force on Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Diseases, the report provides recommendations on prevention, education and surveillance strategies to combat Lyme disease in Pennsylvania and to help guide strategies to address this growing health problem.

We walk our two dogs daily on trails within 10 to 20 minutes of our Pike County home. Ten years ago, ticks were not a big deal. Today, their soaring numbers affect the choices we make about where to hike, limiting us primarily to dirt roads without the foliage that ticks cling to in anticipation of passing hosts.

Many of our favorite trails are now infested with ticks. It is not unusual to return from a half-hour hike and have to remove 15 to 30 ticks from our long-haired terrier. Both of our dogs have been treated for Lyme disease. Quite a few of our friends have also been infected and treated.

According to the PA Department of Health, Pennsylvania has led the nation in reported Lyme disease cases for the past three years. Statewide data show the reported cases of Lyme disease on the rise in most counties in the state and the presence of the Lyme disease-carrying blacklegged (deer tick) in all 67 counties.

See the report at tinyurl.com/nooyj77. Additional information on Lyme disease is available at tinyurl.com/pd8c5dt.

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