Don’t Let The Tick Control Map Fool You About Lyme Disease

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene published a “Lyme disease map” this month – supposedly highlighting where you are most at risk of being infected with this dangerous illness. But how accurate is the information they present?

It took researchers three years to assemble; with scientists trawling woodland and meadow with sheets to capture ticks; which they then studied in a laboratory to find out if they were infected or not with the Lyme disease-causing borrelia burgdorferi bacterium.

The result, they claim, is a map which shows the regions in which you are most at risk of catching Lyme disease from the bite of an infected tick – but this map doesn’t tell the whole story.

One of the most dangerous misnomers about tick control and Lyme disease is that there are certain states which are “tick safe” – or do not have a population of the ixodes scapularis ticks which are the primary vector for transmitting Lyme disease to humans.

In point of fact, Lyme disease has been discovered in every state in the continental USA, plus Canada – meaning that Lyme disease is a clear and present from sea to shining sea.
In addition, more tick species than just the blacklegged tick carry the borrelia burgdorferi bacterium; and other tick species carry variants of the illness that can cause very similar symptoms (such as the STARi disease carried by Lone Star ticks in Florida, Georgia and other southern states.)

So while there is some seriously credible science and study behind this map, don’t let it fool you into thinking you’re “safe” from Lyme disease just because you don’t live in one of the red areas. Ticks carrying Lyme disease can be found anywhere; and it just takes one bite to pass on the disease.

A good way to help prevent tick bites wherever you live is to perform a yard spray for ticks in your garden or back yard. Over 70% of tick bites occur at home; so this is one way to dramatically reduce your chances of infection.

A tick control specialist, like one of the experts from Aspenn Environmental Services, can discuss tick spray treatments with you – and help get rid of ticks from your property all year round.