Study confirms: Ticks carrying Lyme disease found in Eastern U.S. National Parks
Our natural medicine clinic near Milwaukee specializes in the treatment of Lyme disease. It can be difficult to treat, especially if it isn’t diagnosed in its earlier stages. At Serenity Health Care Center, part of our mission is to inform people about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of Lyme disease, an under-diagnosed and under-treated disease. With this in mind, we want our patients to know about this important new study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology.
This study is the first to confirm the presence of ticks carrying Lyme disease in this region
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and the National Park Service, NPS, collected ticks in nine national parks, including Acadia National Park, Gettysburg National Military Park and Shenandoah National Park. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, confirmed that there were ticks infected with the type of bacteria that causes Lyme disease present in all nine parks they studied.
Researchers encourage the public to take preventive steps to decrease their risk
Researchers note that the study reminds everyone to “…protect themselves and their loved ones from tick and other bites.” Here are suggestions on how to reduce the risk for Lyme disease.
- Apply a repellant product that contains 20 to 30% DEET to all exposed skin and clothing.
- In addition, apply products that contain permethrin to your clothing.
- For those looking for a natural product Ticks-N-All is an essential oil that can be applied directly to the skin.
- Stick to the center of the trails, and try not to lean or sit on bushes or logs.
- Check your clothing, gear, pets and other items for ticks.
- Within at least two hours after you leave the area, take a shower.
- If possible, put the clothes you were wearing in a dryer, set on high, for ten minutes.
If you are experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, contact us.
The earlier we can diagnose and treat the disease at our natural medicine clinic near Milwaukee, the better the treatment results. If you discover that you have the disease in its later stages, rest assured that our expertise and knowledge makes a great resource for people in all stages of Lyme disease.