Fall is peak time for deer tick activity in Maine, and the state CDC is urging residents and visitors to take precautions to limit exposure.
Deer ticks are found in wooded, leafy, shrubby areas, including yards, and can transmit several diseases. Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are the most common, with 1,054 and 559 cases reported so far this year, respectively.
But a record 163 cases of babesiosis have been reported this year, as well as three cases of Powassan encephalitis.
Symptoms of tickborne diseases include body aches, chills, headache, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. Lyme disease can also cause a bull's eye rash around a tick bite.
To avoid contact, the CDC recommends wearing repellent as well as light colored clothing that covers arms with pants tucked into socks. Tick checks should be performed after any outdoor activity.
Here are some additional resources:
- Visit www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne for information and resources about tickborne diseases.
- Visit www.maine.gov/dhhs/tickfaq for frequently asked questions about ticks.
- Visit ticks.umaine.edu for more information about tick identification and testing through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab.
