Tick-borne Disease in Maine (Part Four): Living with Lyme, Falling Prey
Author: Paula Jackson Jones
Orig Published: 10/13/2017
Cool
fall weather and the change in colors lends to familiar sounds of frolicking in
leaf piles, haunted hayrides and the scent of warm apple pie and hot cider. As
a child, I looked forward to this every year. As an adult, I cringe because I
am all too familiar with the dangers that lurk. The news media and most
recently, The Today Show, shared of a rare new tick-borne disease,
Anaplasmosis, but here in Maine, it is not so rare to us. In fact, it is one of
the top three tick-borne diseases that the state surveys. And just how fast is
it growing? In Part One (Statistical
Data), I shared in 2016 a total count of 372 cases reported and 2017
year-to-date, we were at 401 by midsummer.
The same tick that carries Lyme Disease also is known to carry
Anaplasmosis as well as other tick-borne diseases.
Anaplasmosis
is not rare, it is here and on the rise in Maine and we are hearing more and
more stories of people who are affected by it. Many find themselves in the
hospital for treatment because of the severity of symptoms. Prevention is key
to staying tick-free and we need to continue wearing repellent on skin and
clothing and doing tick checks when we come inside. Misconception can lead to
chronic illness and chronic illness of any kind affects more than just the
patient. It affects families, relationships, marriages, jobs and communities.
What’s even more disturbing is when those charged with the care of the patient
do not fully understand the scope of the illness and subsequent symptoms as
they manifest and present.
In my
travels across Midcoast Maine, I am talking with people about their awareness
of tick-borne disease and their prevention practices and I am seeing a decline
as the weather changes. Last summer, the hot weather made people think that the
threat of ticks was gone. What we ended up with was an increase in tick-borne
disease cases reported that fall. When we let our guard down, when we stop
using prevention and doing tick checks, we suddenly find ourselves exposed to a
tick encounter and falling prey to whatever tick-borne disease we’ve been
expose to. What comes next is the most pivotal part of the prevention talk that
I give. We have been conditioned to
think “tick bite = Lyme disease” and when the classic bulls eye rash does not
appear, we push it from our minds. What we need to be conditioned to is “tick
bite = potential tick-borne disease exposure” because there are over 14 ticks
in Maine and over 50% of them are carrying tick-borne diseases but only one
strain of one disease produces the bulls eye in approx. 50% of those who are
infected. So, you get a tick bit but no
rash. Should you be concerned?
Absolutely! Get that tick tested and boost your immune system until you
know what you’ve been exposed to. That is the only defense that you have. Current testing relies on an antibody
response and if you test too soon or too late, or your immune system is already
compromised by other health issues, your body will not produce what is needed
to guide your medical provider in the right direction. Get that tick tested and you will know in 3
days what, if anything, you’ve been exposed to.
Fall in
Maine should be fun. Children and pets
should be playing outdoors, hayrides and corn mazes should be nothing more than
entertainment. Prevention is your first line of defense for protecting you and
your loved ones against the growing threat of a tiny enemy. With all the layers
of clothing and outdoor activity, you’re not going to see these ticks until it’s
too late. It takes just minutes to apply your repellent and do your tick
checks. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure ~ just ask someone
who’s been touched by a tick-borne disease.
For
more information about tick testing, prevention and upcoming meetings, please
visit our website www.mldse.org and if you have any
questions, please send them to paula@mldse.org
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