It’s Time to BLAST Lyme Disease!

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protections wants to remind people that it is always a good idea to protect yourself when being active outdoors by using products such as sunscreen and bug repellent. To that end, the DEP is working to get the word out about Lyme disease prevention. Recently the Ridgefield Health Department launched a new prevention program called “BLAST Lyme Disease.” BLAST stands for the five most important things you and your family can do to stay safe from tick-borne diseases:

• B stands for bathing soon after spending time outdoors. A recent study showed that people who didn’t contract Lyme disease were more likely to shower or bathe within two hours after spending time in their yards.
• L reminds everyone to look their bodies over for ticks daily and remove them properly. Speedy removal helps avoid disease transmission. Remove ticks carefully by their mouth parts with a tweezer and save them in a plastic bag for identification. Contact your local health department for tick-testing policies and notify your physician if you have any concerns. Expanding rashes should be reported to your physician in a timely manner. The painless erythema migrans (EM) rash can often go unnoticed and will eventually disappear while the infection remains. Other early symptoms include fatigue, headache, fever and achy muscles and joints.
• A encourages you to become educated about repellants and apply them appropriately. Studies have shown that applying 30-40% DEET-based repellant to skin is effective at repelling blacklegged (deer) ticks. Application of 0.5% permethrin-based insecticide to clothing is highly effective at repelling ticks. Clothing treated with permethrin can be washed several times and still retains its repellant properties.
• S stands for spraying the yard to reduce tick abundance. Homeowners should consider the benefits of applying pesticide to the perimeter of their yards. Studies have shown that even one application of pesticide at the right time of year and in the best location can reduce blacklegged tick populations by 85 – 90%. Complete information on tick management is available in electronic format through the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at www.ct.gov/caes.
• T reminds everyone to treat your pets. Local veterinarians offer a variety of methods for protecting animals from tick-borne diseases. Dogs and cats increase one’s chances of exposure to Lyme disease. Pets can carry ticks in to the home on their fur. Pet owners should be cautious about sleeping with their pets.

For additional information on the BLAST Lyme disease prevention program, contact Sue Perlotto or Jennifer Reid at the Ridgefield Health Department. Phone 203- 431-2745 or email blastlyme@ridgefieldct.org.

You can also find more information in the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Tick Management Handbook, or by visiting the Connecticut Department’s of Public Health’s Lyme disease webpage.