Ticks are still active, Maine CDC warns

By Ethan Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff

The ground may be covered in several inches of snow, but disease-carrying ticks are still active, the Maine CDC announced on Dec. 7.

The CDC reported a record number of Lyme disease cases so far in 2023, with 2,706 and five cases of Powassan virus this year.

The diseases are carried by deer ticks and transmitted through bites.

Lyme disease cases continue to rise, the CDC said, and ticks remain active when temperatures are above freezing.

To avoid the risk of tick bites, Maine CDC recommends taking these steps:

— Know tick habitat and take precautions in areas where ticks may live.

— Wear light-colored clothing that covers the arms and legs, and tuck pants into socks.

— Use an EPA-approved repellent like DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on skin. Use permethrin on clothing.

— Check for ticks daily and after any outdoor activity. Check family members and pets too.

— Remove clothing when you get home and put it in the dryer before washing. Use high heat for 10-15 minutes to kill any crawling ticks.

— Deer ticks can also spread the germs that cause anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and hard tick relapsing fever. Common symptoms of tick-borne diseases include joint and muscle pain, fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. People with Lyme disease may also have a “bullseye” rash anywhere on their body, not only at the site of the tick bite. If you experience any of these symptoms, talk to a health-care provider.

For more information, visit maine.gov/lyme.

Tick-borne disease data can be viewed on the Maine Tracking Network at data.mainepublichealth.gov/tracking/tickborne.