Things to Do – Telemundo New York (47)

NEW YORK – New York City encourages all New Yorkers to protect themselves and their families from tick-borne diseases as summer approaches and people begin to travel and participate in outdoor activities, he announced on Wednesday the City Health Department.

The most common tick-borne disease diagnosed among New Yorkers is Lyme disease.

The number of people in New York City diagnosed with Lyme disease each year has ranged from 700 to 800 in recent years, with 703 last year.

Learn more about tick-borne diseases here.

“New Yorkers should take advantage of the summer weather this year and get outdoors, but it is important to remember some basic precautions when in areas where ticks can be present,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “You can protect your family and pets from ticks by using insect repellent, mowing the lawn and controlling ticks after being in wooded, bushy or tall grass areas.

About Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases:

Lyme disease is the most frequently reported tick-borne disease in New York City. The first symptoms of Lyme disease include a skin rash that spreads over several days, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. If left untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart, or nervous system.

Most New Yorkers can become infected with Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis, after traveling to surrounding areas, such as Long Island and upstate New York, and other areas where the Blacklegged and lone star ticks that carry these diseases are found. However, these ticks are present in Staten Island and the North Bronx.

Tick ​​surveillance by the Department of Health continues to find the American dog tick in every county in New York City. The blacklegged tick, which can spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis, is widely established in Staten Island and areas of the Bronx, such as Pelham Bay Park and Hunter Island, but not in other areas of New York.

The lone star and Asian longhorn ticks are also well established on Staten Island and parts of the Bronx and the Gulf. As the density of this tick has increased, the density of blacklegged ticks has decreased. Lone star ticks can spread ehrlichiosis and have also been associated with a food allergy, especially to red meat, but Asian longhorn ticks have not been shown to transmit disease in the US Surveillance last year Tick ​​found another tick, the Gulf Coast tick, established itself on Staten Island, but in very small numbers.

Recommendations to prevent tick bites and tick-borne diseases

• Reduce your risk at home:

• Keep grass short and don’t allow piles of brush or leaves to build up.
• Trim bushes and tree branches around your yard to get more sunlight.
• Create a barrier to define a tick-proof zone around your garden.
• Keep the playground equipment and outdoor furniture in a sunny location, away from the edges of the patio and trees.
• Don’t skip foods that attract deer and other wildlife.

• Repel, do not attract, ticks.

• Use insect repellent that contains DEET.
• Permethrin products can be used on clothing or shoes (but not on skin) to repel and kill ticks.
• Stay in the center of cleared trails and hiking trails when walking in heavily wooded areas.
• Wear light-colored clothing to see ticks more easily.
• Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants to prevent ticks from attaching to your skin.
• Wear gloves when gardening.

• After being outdoors in wooded, scrubby, or tall grassy areas:

• Check your body and clothing for ticks and remove any ticks you find on yourself, your child, or your pet.
• Young ticks are very small (about the size of a poppy seed), so seek help inspecting hard-to-reach areas. Be sure to look closely at areas of the body where hair is present, as it can make ticks more difficult to see. Adult ticks are about the size of an apple seed.
• Shower as soon as possible after entering the interior, preferably within two hours.
• Use hot water when washing clothes to kill ticks. If hot water cannot be used, tumble dry on low heat for 70 minutes or high heat for 40 minutes.
• Place dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks. Wet or damp clothes may need more time in the dryer.
• If you have a rash or fever, tell your doctor if you may have been exposed to ticks, even if you don’t remember having a tick bite.

• Pets

• Ask your vet which flea and tick repellants are best to use on your pet.
• Dogs can also get sick from ticks. If you think your dog may have been bitten by a tick and you notice changes in your dog’s behavior or appetite, talk to your vet.

For more information on ticks click here.

OTHER RESOURCES ON TICK IN SPANISH:

Here a complete manual.

Here about ticks in the gardens.

Here is a book in Spanish for children and their parents.

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