How to spot and treat Lyme disease
What is Lyme Disease?
It is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of bacterium carried by deer ticks. An infected tick can transmit the bacterium to the humans and animals it bites.
Early symptoms: Flulike symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, fatigue; muscle and joint aches; swollen lymph nodes; possibly an expanding rash called erythema migrans, commonly known as a bull’s-eye rash.
If untreated, the bacterium travels through the bloodstream, establishes itself in various body tissues, and can cause a number of symptoms, some of which are severe.
Source: American Lyme Disease Foundation; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Luz Jacqueline Ruiz of Nashoba Valley Medical Center, Ayer.

Treatment: Antibiotics; some other individualized treatments depending on the conditions.
If you get a tick bite
• Remove the tick properly; do not grasp, squeeze or twist body of tick; the bacteria is stored in the belly and the tick will vomit the bacteria if squeezed.
• Do not burn or use any substance on tick.
• Grasp tick close to skin with tweezers; pull straight out.
• Use antiseptic on skin.
• Disinfect hands thoroughly.
• See a physician for possible diagnosis, testing and treatment, especially if tick parts remain after removal.
• Save tick for testing, alive if possible; place in airtight container or zip-lock bag, with moist cotton ball (no alcohol); send to tick-testing lab.
Source: Lyme Disease Association; Lyme Disease Association; Donna Castle and Leah Paglia.

Prevention
• Perform frequent, thorough tick checks.
• Wear light-colored clothes.
• Tuck pants into socks.
• Put clothes in dryer for 30 minutes to kill ticks.
• Use products containing DEET or clothes that protect against ticks.
Source: Lyme Disease Association

To seek information on Lyme Disease and support groups:
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/Lyme/
• Lyme Disease Association — http://www.LymeDiseaseAssociation.org
• Lyme Info — http://www.lymeinfo.net
• Lyme Disease Network — http://www.lymenet.org

Permethrin

The EPA has recently granted Sawyer® registration for a new Military Style Insect Repellent treatment system for clothing. Similar to the U.S. Military system, with consumer friendly directions; simply soak your clothes or bed net in a permethrin solutions for 2 hours, hang dry and stay protected for 6 washings - no guess work!

Permethrin is a contact insecticide. That is, it kills ticks or other insects when it comes in contact with them. It is used on clothing and materials. It uses the same active ingredient used in hair shampoos for head lice. When applied to clothing the Permethrin binds to the fabric eliminating the risk of over-exposure to the skin.

As a clothing, tent or sleeping bag application, Permethrin is very effective at keeping ticks from attaching to you and at reducing the mosquito population in your camping area.

Permethrin is also an effective repellent against mosquitoes and flies and can be used in conjunction with a skin based repellent. Permethrin can be used as the primary repellent if the exposed skin area (gaps in the treated clothing) is not too large. By storing the treated clothing in black plastic bags between uses the protection can be extended considerably.

seph, I've been using fly spray for my horses for years that contains Permethrin. I mix a few ounces of the stuff with Avon Skin So Soft and spray the horses with it. It kills and repels flies, mosquitoes, gnats and ticks and the skin so soft is oily enough that it sticks to the hair and I don't have to spray but once or twice a week. It is some good stuff and I'm glad to see this article.