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Friday, August 3, 2007
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Tick-tock
Staff Writer While many people may visit the Crow Wing County Fair to see the barnyard animals, the four-legged critters they need to be most aware of won't likely be there.
The Crow Wing County Public Health booth at the fair this week features information about deer ticks, also called the black-legged tick, which can transmit Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases to humans.
Visitors may get information about the diseases, take a quiz to test their knowledge about deer ticks and take home a deer tick identification card.
Joyce Mueller, county public health nurse manager, said they want to make fairgoers aware of the symptoms of tick-borne illnesses so they can seek early treatment. The diseases, particularly human anaplasmosis (also known as erlichiosis) and babesiosis, if left untreated, can result in organ failure and death.
If not treated early, Lyme disease can cause multiple rashes, facial paralysis on one side, weakness, numbness or pain in arms and legs, irregular heartbeat, memory and concentration problems and chronic arthritis in one or more joints, usually the knees, which may be swollen and painful.
Twenty-two percent of Minnesotans who were diagnosed with Lyme disease between 2002-06 and 36 percent who were diagnosed with human anaplasmosis acquired the diseases in Crow Wing County. In 2006, about 40 percent of Minnesota's human anaplasmosis cases were hospitalized for their infection.
Spot the symptoms
Lyme disease is an illness transmitted to humans by the bite of a deer tick that may affect the skin, joints, nervous system, heart and other areas of the body. Recognizing the early signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and the two other tick-borne diseases, human anaplasmosis (also known as ehrlichiosis) and babesiosis, are important.
If you have one or more of these signs and symptoms within three to 30 days after a tick bite, see your physician immediately:
- A characteristic skin rash, called erythema migrans, has a "bull's-eye" appearance - a red ring with a central clearing. However, the rash only appears in 60-80 percent of Lyme disease cases.
- Fever and chills
- Muscle and joint pain
- Fatigue
- Headache.
Symptoms of human anaplasmosis and babesiosis are sudden and severe and can include:
- High fever
- Muscle aches
- Chills and shaking
- Severe headache
- Less frequent symptoms of anaplasmosis include nausea, vomiting, cough and aching joints. Antibiotics are used to treat all three diseases.
Prevention is key
- When in the woods, to avoid picking up ticks, wear a repellent with DEET or permethrin.
- Create a barrier to ticks by tucking pants into socks or boots.
- Wear light-colored clothes so ticks are visible.
- Check and recheck for ticks.
- Prompt removal of attached ticks prevents disease.
For more information, visit the Crow Wing County Public Health booth at the Crow Wing County Fair or visit the Minnesota Department of Health Lyme disease Web site at www.health.state.mn.us/lyme.
- Information provided by Minnesota Department of Health
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According to the Minnesota Department of Health, in 2006, near-record totals of 914 Lyme disease cases - 86 in Crow Wing County - and 177 human anaplasmosis cases - 39 in Crow Wing County - were reported to the state. Reports of babesiosis are more rare, but 2006 was a record year with 18 reported cases.
Mueller said the prime season to contract tick-borne diseases is mid-May to mid-July, but now is the time many suffer from symptoms.
Dr. Richard Roberts, an Urgent Care physician at Brainerd Medical Clinic, said cases of human anaplasmosis are widely underreported because physicians may make a clinical diagnosis but might be unable to provide acceptable proof to the Department of Health, primarily through a positive test.
He said the state understands the problem and is working to create an acceptable method of documenting these cases. He said that, based on his experience, cases of human anaplasmosis are one-and-a-half to two times worse than what is being reported. He's seen increases in cases in his practice the last seven to eight years.
Roberts, who has written a paper on tick-borne diseases to help other physicians, BMC staff members and patients understand the illnesses, said that a couple of weeks ago, BMC was seeing, on average, more than 10 people a day with symptoms consistent with Lyme disease and human anaplasmosis. Even now, he said, one to three patients in Urgent Care are being treated for tick-borne diseases each day.
"We're the hotbed here in Crow Wing County, in our Urgent Care," Roberts said. "I think we're seeing more this year than last year."
Roberts said patients also seem to be more knowledgeable about the diseases and have been coming in early for treatment. But just because you've had it once, doesn't mean you're immune, Roberts said.
"People have to realize that, even if you've had it, you may get it again," Roberts said.
Mueller said physicians in Crow Wing County are very aware of the diseases, compared to doctors in other cities and states. Often people will contract the diseases while vacationing in the Brained lakes area and then have difficulty being diagnosed in their hometowns.
Melissa Kemperman, a state Department of Health epidemiologist who works with tick- and mosquito-transmitted diseases, said the number of reported tick-borne illnesses continue to spread throughout the state and are growing in numbers. She said local residents who live near wooded areas may use landscaping techniques to reduce their possibility of exposure to deer ticks, such as keeping their yards free of leaf litter and brush and making a landscape barrier between the lawn and trees using two to three feet of wood chips.
Deer ticks are usually found on low vegetation and seek hosts from the ground level, she said. She said it's important for people to check themselves after they've been outside and in the woods. A tick infected with Lyme disease must be attached for at least 12 hours to transmit the disease, so it's critical that the ticks are removed as soon as possible. She said to wear long pants and use repellent in order to prevent ticks from attaching.
According to Roberts, in the Brainerd lakes area, it appears that 15-20 percent of nymphs and nearly 50 percent of adult deer ticks are infected with Lyme bacteria and capable of spreading the disease. In the northern Twin Cities area, the rate of tick infection appears to be lower at 5-15 percent, he said.
All three tick-borne diseases can be successfully treated with antibiotics.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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