Lyme Disease

Removing​ ​a​ ​Tick

 

​ ​ ​ ​ ​It​ ​seems​ ​like​ ​everyone​ ​has​ ​their​ ​own​ ​home​ ​remedy​ ​for removing​ ​ticks,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​using​ ​heat​ ​or​ ​even​ ​using​ ​nail​ ​polish. But​ ​according​ ​to​ ​the​ ​CDC​ ​(Center​ ​for​ ​Disease​ ​Control),​ ​the proper​ ​technique​ ​to​ ​remove​ ​a​ ​tick​ ​is​ ​using​ ​fine​ ​tipped tweezers​ ​and​ ​to​ ​pull​ ​upward​ ​without​ ​twisting​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​ ​the tick’s​ ​mouth-parts​ ​from​ ​remaining​ ​in​ ​the​ ​skin.​ ​Then​ ​finish​ ​the process​ ​with​ ​cleaning​ ​the​ ​area​ ​where​ ​the​ ​tick​ ​was​ ​attached using​ ​rubbing​ ​alcohol​ ​or​ ​soap​ ​and​ ​water.

Preventing​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease

​ ​ ​ ​ ​The​ ​environment​ ​is​ ​the​ ​dominant​ ​factor​ ​in​ ​determining

 

​ ​ ​ ​ ​The​ ​CDC​ ​recommends​ ​several​ ​methods​ ​for​ ​preventing tick​ ​bites​ ​including:​ ​using​ ​repellants​ ​such​ ​as​ ​DEET,​ ​wearing long​ ​pants​ ​and​ ​sleeves​ ​when​ ​walking​ ​in​ ​grassy​ ​areas,​ ​clear brush​ ​and​ ​leaves​ ​in​ ​your​ ​yard​ ​and​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​bathe immediately​ ​after​ ​walking​ ​in​ ​brushy​ ​area.

Future​ ​of​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease ​ ​ ​With​ ​the​ ​planet’s​ ​climate​ ​changing,​ ​temperatures​ ​rise earlier​ ​and​ ​earlier​ ​each​ ​year.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​suspected​ ​the​ ​amount​ ​of Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​cases​ ​will​ ​sky-rocket.​ ​Not​ ​only​ ​will​ ​there​ ​a rise​ ​in​ ​cases​ ​earlier​ ​in​ ​the​ ​year,​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​is​ ​also​ ​likely to​ ​spread​ ​further​ ​South​ ​and​ ​West.​ ​ ​As​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​seasons get​ ​longer​ ​so​ ​does​ ​the​ ​tick​ ​season.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​also​ ​predicted​ ​that with​ ​a​ ​rise​ ​in​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​cases​ ​there​ ​will​ ​be​ ​ ​further development​ ​ ​in​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​vaccines,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​a​ ​steady demand,​ ​unlike​ ​previous​ ​unsuccessful​ ​vaccines.

Environment high​ ​risk​ ​times​ ​for​ ​acquiring​ ​Lyme​ ​disease,​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​high risk​ ​locations.​ ​The​ ​months​ ​of​ ​June​ ​and​ ​July​ ​represent​ ​2/3​ ​of all​ ​Lyme​ ​disease​ ​transmissions​ ​in​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States.​ ​This disease​ ​is​ ​predominantly​ ​transmitted​ ​in​ ​wooded​ ​areas,​ ​or​ ​on the​ ​border​ ​of​ ​woodlands.​ ​Areas​ ​with​ ​mixtures​ ​of​ ​conifer​ ​and hardwood​ ​trees​ ​that​ ​have​ ​an​ ​abundance​ ​of​ ​shrubbery​ ​tend to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​most​ ​dangerous​ ​locations. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​There​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​strong​ ​correlation​ ​between populations​ ​of​ ​the​ ​white-footed​ ​mouse​ ​and​ ​tick​ ​populations. This​ ​explains​ ​why​ ​tick​ ​populations​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​be​ ​down​ ​a​ ​year and​ ​a​ ​half​ ​after​ ​a​ ​severe​ ​winter.​ ​Cold​ ​winters​ ​knock​ ​mouse populations;​ ​this​ ​in​ ​turn​ ​reduces​ ​the​ ​probability​ ​of​ ​a​ ​tick larvae​ ​finding​ ​a​ ​host​ ​in​ ​the​ ​spring​ ​and​ ​maturing​ ​the​ ​following year.​ ​The​ ​same​ ​effect​ ​can​ ​be​ ​observed​ ​with​ ​other​ ​rodents and​ ​mammals,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​deer.​ ​Many​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​dry summers​ ​cause​ ​a​ ​dip​ ​in​ ​tick​ ​populations​ ​for​ ​that​ ​year,​ ​but they​ ​actually​ ​cause​ ​the​ ​young​ ​ticks​ ​to​ ​perish,​ ​causing​ ​a decrease​ ​in​ ​population​ ​the​ ​following​ ​year.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​vital​ ​to understand​ ​the​ ​environment's​ ​effect​ ​on​ ​ticks​ ​so​ ​that​ ​we​ ​can better​ ​defend​ ​ourselves​ ​against​ ​Lyme​ ​disease.

Map

  Lyme​ ​disease​ ​hot​ ​spots​ ​in​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States 

​ ​[Map​ ​Image​ ​here​ ​] 

Lyme  Disease  Darren,​ ​Brandi,​ ​Matt,​ ​Amelia

What​ ​is​ ​Lyme  Disease? 

● ● ● ●

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Lyme​ ​disease​ ​is​ ​a​ ​condition​ ​that​ ​is​ ​created​ ​by​ ​a​ ​specific

bacterium​ ​called​ ​Borrelia​ ​Burgdorferi.​ ​Humans​ ​can​ ​get​ ​this condition​ ​if​ ​bitten​ ​by​ ​a​ ​blacklegged​ ​tick​ ​that​ ​is​ ​infected​ ​with lyme​ ​disease.​ ​Lyme​ ​disease​ ​has​ ​many​ ​symptoms​ ​some​ ​are minor​ ​while​ ​others​ ​are​ ​major.

● ● ●

Lyme​ ​disease​ ​is​ ​spread​ ​by​ ​receiving​ ​bite​ ​from​ ​a tick​ ​that​ ​is​ ​infected​ ​with​ ​the​ ​disease. This​ ​disease​ ​is​ ​found​ ​in​ ​every​ ​state​ ​bit​ ​Montana The​ ​disease​ ​is​ ​most​ ​commonly​ ​transmitted​ ​from a​ ​nymphs​ ​which​ ​are​ ​immature​ ​ticks nymphs​ ​feed​ ​during​ ​the​ ​spring​ ​and​ ​summer months

​ ​ ​ ​ ​How​ ​does​ ​it​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​body?  ● ● ●

What​ ​causes​ ​Lyme​ ​disease?   ●

History

How​ ​it​ ​spreads:

●

this​ ​disease​ ​is​ ​caused​ ​by​ ​a​ ​tick​ ​carrying​ ​Lyme disease. generally​ ​Lyme​ ​disease​ ​is​ ​carried​ ​by​ ​the​ ​deer tick​ ​or​ ​the​ ​wood​ ​tick ticks​ ​are​ ​generally​ ​found​ ​in​ ​forests​ ​and​ ​tall grassy​ ​areas the​ ​average​ ​deer​ ​carries​ ​200​ ​or​ ​more​ ​ticks​ ​on them​ ​at​ ​one​ ​time

● ● ● ● ● ● ​ ​Life​

Lyme​ ​disease​ ​has​ ​many​ ​side​ ​effects​ ​on​ ​the body This​ ​condition​ ​can​ ​affect​ ​every​ ​person​ ​differently The​ ​first​ ​most​ ​common​ ​symptom​ ​is​ ​red​ ​bullseye near​ ​the​ ​bite this​ ​disease​ ​can​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​organs,joints,the nervous​ ​system,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​heart other​ ​symptoms​ ​are migraines severe​ ​neck​ ​pain swelling​ ​of​ ​joints palpitation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​heart mild​ ​to​ ​severe​ ​dizziness

​cycle​ ​of​ ​a​ ​tick: 

  ​ ​ ​ ​ ​The​ ​first​ ​reported​ ​cases​ ​of​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​started​ ​in Europe​ ​and​ ​date​ ​back​ ​to​ ​1883.​ ​A​ ​German​ ​physician,​ ​Alfred Buchwald​ ​discovered​ ​that​ ​it​ ​began​ ​with​ ​ring-like​ ​lesions​ ​and degenerative​ ​skin​ ​disorders.​ ​In​ ​1921,​ ​Arvid​ ​Afzelius connected​ ​the​ ​disease​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Ixodes​ ​Scapularis​ ​tick​ ​and found​ ​joint​ ​pain​ ​to​ ​be​ ​another​ ​symptom.​ ​Shortly​ ​thereafter arthritic​ ​problems​ ​were​ ​found​ ​to​ ​be​ ​caused​ ​by​ ​the​ ​disease. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​has​ ​its​ ​namesake​ ​from​ ​the​ ​town​ ​of​ ​Old Lyme,​ ​Connecticut.​ ​In​ ​this​ ​town​ ​in​ ​1975,​ ​researchers​ ​began studying​ ​patients​ ​who​ ​had​ ​all​ ​been​ ​diagnosed​ ​with​ ​juvenile rheumatoid​ ​arthritis;​ ​they​ ​found​ ​the​ ​symptoms​ ​were congruent​ ​with​ ​the​ ​cases​ ​from​ ​Europe,​ ​but​ ​were​ ​unsure​ ​if the​ ​cause​ ​was​ ​also​ ​the​ ​same.​ ​They​ ​found​ ​that​ ​it​ ​was​ ​and​ ​it was​ ​renamed​ ​Lyme​ ​Arthritis​ ​and​ ​then​ ​later​ ​called​ ​Lyme disease. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​In​ ​1985​ ​Dr.​ ​Burgdorfer​ ​discovered​ ​that​ ​the​ ​causative agent​ ​for​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​was​ ​a​ ​bacterium​ ​and​ ​named​ ​it Borrelia​ ​Borderferi.​ ​In​ ​1988,​ ​the​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease​ ​Foundation was​ ​founded​ ​to​ ​raise​ ​awareness​ ​of​ ​the​ ​disease.​ ​In​ ​1999,​ ​the International​ ​Lyme​ ​and​ ​Associated​ ​Diseases​ ​Society (ILADS)​ ​was​ ​formed​ ​as​ ​a​ ​nonprofit​ ​organization​ ​devoted​ ​to the​ ​treatment​ ​and​ ​diagnosis​ ​of​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease.

​ ​ ​If​ ​you​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​Lyme​ ​Disease here​ ​is​ ​a​ ​link​ ​to​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​websites​ ​with​ ​more​ ​in​ ​depth information​ ​about​ ​the​ ​disease. http://goo.gl/UZtiK