Lyme Disease Awareness for Families
Fairfax County, VA, May 30, 2015
Joshua SmithFairfax County Health Department
Outline
• Ticks in Fairfax County• Tickborne Disease Prevention
Tick Life Cycle• 4 Stages
• Egg• Larva• Nymph• Adult
• Female, Male
CDC/Christopher Paddock
Tick Species in Fairfax County
Image credit: CDC
The Waiting Game• Ticks do not fly, jump, or fall from
trees• Crawl on grass or other low
vegetation• Wait for animal to pass by• Wait in leaf litter• Use carbon dioxide and scents to
find host animals
Lyme Disease Transmission Ecology
Personal Protection
Personal Protection• Avoidance• Repellent• Dressing properly • Permethrin for clothing• Shower• Tick check• Prompt removal of
attached ticks
Avoid Tick Habitats
How do I avoid them?• Stick to the middles of
trails.• Avoid tall grass and brush.
Where are they?– Leaf litter and low lying
vegetation.– Forests and woodlands
where host animals are present.
Repellents*Repels
mosquitoesRepels ticks
Hours of protection
(25%)Use on
children**
DEET Yes Yes 5 Over 2 months
Picaridin Yes Maybe 5 --
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
Yes Maybe 4 Over 3 years
IR 3535 Yes Maybe 3 --
*Always read and follow label instructions.**Do not allow children to apply repellent to themselves.
Dress to Protect
Wear long, loose and light colored clothing.
Tuck your pant legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants.
Tie back long hair or wear a hat.
Treat clothes with permethrin.
Permethrin for Clothing• Permethrin is the active
ingredient• Insecticide that can be
applied to your clothing, NOT your skin
• Pre-treated clothing or DIY• Always read and follow label
instructions.
Perform Regular Tick Checks• During, immediately
after and several hours after spending time outside
• Check whole body • Use a friend or mirror to
check hard to see areas
I found a tick attached to me… now what?
1. Don’t panic2. Remove it3. Save the tick for
identification 4. See a physician if
you experience symptoms.
How to Remove a Tick• Use fine-tipped tweezers• Grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin surface
and pull upward with steady, even pressure• After removing the tick, disinfect the site and wash
your hands• Save the tick for identification
Image credit: CDC
Why get a tick ID’d?• Several species of ticks in
our area• Not all small ticks are deer
ticks• Only deer ticks transmit
Lyme disease bacteria• Other tick-borne diseases
• We do not test ticks for diagnostic purposes or provide medical advice
Free Tick Identification ServiceInstructions• Carefully remove attached tick• Place tick in sealable plastic bag• Label with your name, address, and phone number• Bring tick to FCHD Kelly Square Building (10777 Main St,
Fairfax, VA)• We will identify species, often while you wait
Make Your Yard a Tick Free Zone
• Create a sunny, dry area
• Remove leaf litter & tall grass
• Lay down wood chips and gravel
• Keep playground equipment and decks away from yard edge and trees.
• Use fences
• Apply insecticide
}
Preventing Ticks Around the Home
• Chemical control–Broad-spectrum pesticides
• Non-target effects
–No tick-specific treatments–Careful, judicious use–Read and follow label!
Thank you
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