Significant increase already being seen

By Joel Howard

Northwest Connecticut is no stranger to Lyme disease, but experts are predicting a significant increase in cases during the coming months. The convergence of several events, including increased populations of white-footed mice and blacklegged ticks, are coalescing to create a situation whereby residents should be extra vigilant in checking themselves and their pets for the ticks that routinely carry the disease.

Proof that the cycle of ticks and Lyme are coming early and often is found in recent cases of Lyme detected in dogs. According to Dr. Kim Maynard, a veterinarian with Litchfield Hills Mobile Veterinary Clinic, her practice saw three positive cases in one week last month.

“This time of year, we’ve never seen that many cases in such a short span of time”, she said. “Ticks are out there year round, but usually we have a few weeks of dormancy. That didn’t really happen this winter.”

So why all the sudden increase in ticks? It’s much more than the recent warm winter. In fact, the cycle leading to this situation started in 2010, according to Dr. Richard Ostfeld of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y.

“Last summer we saw the most abundant population of white-footed mice we’ve seen in the 21 years we’ve been monitoring small mammals in eastern New York,” said Dr. Ostfeld. “This was clearly linked to the unprecedented bumper crop of acorns in fall of 2010.”

Acorns are a nutritious food for mice, and as they carry the disease and pass it on to ticks, the increased population of mice combined with the explosion in the number of ticks means Lyme will be especially prevalent this year.

As Dr. Ostfeldefld further explained, “Our data shows that the abundance of mice in one summer is a strong predictor of the abundance of infected blacklegged ticks the following summer. This is because mice are very good hosts for ticks and infect the vast majority of ticks that feed on them.”

As ticks ultimately move on in search of new hosts, humans and pets provide excellent hosting opportunities, often allowing a tick to go undetected for a sustained period of time. The introduction of Lyme into the home has brought the cycle full circle as people and their four-legged companions unwittingly allow the ticks indoors.

If a tick is found on a person’s body, they should give serious considerationshould be given to consulting a their doctor.

As for testing for Lyme, the process presents its own problem. Experts say that reliability in available clinical detection is far from perfect, especially in humans.

What Dr. Maynard sees currently happening is likely indicative of coming trends. “We’re not just seeing more cases, we’re also seeing more resistant strains of Lyme. If you have treated your pet and still find a tick on him, then either you misapplied the medication or it’s ineffective. You need to switch to a different medicine and ask your vet about how to proceed.”

She also added that bathing a pet soon after applying tick and flea preventative is bad practice. Oil in the skin of an animal is used to spread the medicine. Bathing dilutes the oil, thereby reducing the effect of the dosage.

Prevention for both pets and their owners plays a large role in avoiding Lyme, and several easy actions can prevent human infection. Everyone from pet owners, gardeners, and hikers will do well to wear long pants and shirts when outdoors. Spraying insect repellent on the clothes is a good deterrent to all insects, including ticks.

Gardeners are also advised to wear gloves when planting and pruning. Everyone, upon having been active outside, should check themselves for ticks. Also of note is the fact that symptoms go beyond the iconic bulls-eye rash. Headaches, nausea, joint stiffness, and lethargy are also symptomatic of Lyme.

Caution and preparedness will help avert infection, but anyone who may have contracted Lyme they should contact a physician for testing. More information on the disease can be found at www.cdc.gov and www.caryinstitute.org.