Be Aware of Ticks and Know the Warning Signs of Lyme Disease

April 23, 2018
Originally published by United Way of Connecticut
ticks
Photo: CVMDL

As the weather starts to warm, an increased awareness of ticks and the symptoms associated with Lyme disease is important.

Tips for preventing Lyme disease:
  • Avoid tall grass and over-grown, brushy areas.
  • Stay in the middle of trails when hiking in the woods.
  • Wear light-colored clothing to allow ticks to be more  easily seen.
  • Examine yourself, your children, and pets for ticks when returning indoors.
  • Remove found ticks as soon as possible.
It takes approximately 24 hours for a tick to infect a person with Lyme disease. The longer an infected tick stays on your skin the greater the chance it will pass the Lyme bacteria on to you. If you find a tick remove it immediately and be on the lookout for Lyme disease symptoms such as rash (sometimes in the shape of a bulls-eye) fever, muscle aches or fatigue.
Contact your doctor if any of these symptoms occurs and visit the Department of Public Health Lyme Disease page or download 2-1-1’s Lyme Disease eLibrary Paper for more information.  Tick testing is available at UConn.