If you spend time outdoors in New Hampshire, particularly southern portions of the state, like the upcoming Turkey Season, then you are exposed to deer ticks that carry lyme disease causing bacteria. The deer tick also known as the black legged tick includes Massachusetts and Connecticut and Rhode Island as hotspots. Ticks are carried by Deer and Mice and contribute greatly to the tick population. One autumn I counted a dozen of them on my clothes while deer hunting near my home.

Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan virus can be transmitted by the bite of the black legged tick (Ixodes scapularus).

In New Hampshire there are over 1300 diagnosed cases of Lyme disease each year (some go undiagnosed), over 100 cases of Anaplasmosis, 40 to 50 cases of Babesiosis. Powassan Virus infections are rare but one case was diagnosed in 2013.  Lyme Disease if untreated will cause complications such as nervous system disorder, heart abnormalities, and episodes of joint swelling and pain. Early diagnosis is essential.

Below is the website of NH Dept. of Health and Human Services on Lyme Disease.

http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/lyme/index.htm

The odds of you being bitten by a deer tick are near 100% if you spend a significant amount of time outdoors and do not take precautions which include the use of 20 to 30% DEET on your skin, Clothing sprayed with Permethrin, pant leggings tucked into your socks and the like. 

If you are bitten and the tick has been in you for more than 36 hours you are a candidate for these bacteria and  Lyme Disease. See your doctor right away. The wood tick below also known as a dog tick and is not known to carry Lyme bacteria.

Prevention

Treat your yard with tick killing products that are family and pet friendly. Wear light clothing so you can see the ticks if they are crawling on you. Tuck your pant legs into your socks. As a hunter you need to be highly vigilant. Turkey Season is also tick season. Take your hunting clothes off in your garage and have a pair of alternate clothes nearby. Shower if possible soon after your outing and do a hair and body scan. You can put clothes in a dryer and the ticks will die from the heat.  Check your pets and don’t let pets onto your bed as they can harbor ticks.

Spring is the time for Nymph size ticks

In the spring as it is here, the spring nymph stage is perhaps the most dangerous as these are the smallest of deer ticks and are almost impossible to spot, smaller than the head of a pin and a bite can go unnoticed. Often these little ticks will burrow under your skin leaving a red area where they entered. You may see just the back-end of the tick sticking out. If you can get a sharp-pointed pair of tweezers you may be able to pluck it out. I just purchased a pair of tweezers with a little magnifier attached. Treat the bite area with antiseptic cream and a bandaid to keep the antiseptic on the bite.

These ticks in later stages are just a little larger making it a bit easier to see and grasp with tweezers to pull out. If at all possible grasp the head of the tick and not the body. But when in doubt seek medical attention and keep the tick body for identification. It is common to administer an antibiotic such as doxycycline for Lyme disease, early detection is essential for the antibiotic to kill the bacteria. The most common indicator is the bullseye rash but does not always occur.

The bottom line here is that if you suspect you have been bitten, and symptoms within 30 days include fever, headache, fatigue, stiff neck and  muscle or joint pain feel chills or flu like symptoms, joint pain, or break out in a rash, see your doctor right away to get treated. Don’t wait!

There are those folks who were never seen by a doctor or been diagnosed and many have died or live with tragic disorders of the heart or nervous system. Don’t be one of them!

Stay Safe, Hunt Safe!