Lyme disease is the most common vector borne illness, an infectious disease transmitted from animal to human, in the United States. The latest most reliable data from the CDC for the state of Maryland shows 1,249 confirmed cases of Lyme disease and 479 probable cases in 2015 state wide. The disease is caused by the bacteria transmitted to humans and animals from the bite of certain ticks, particularly the black-legged tick.
| Signs and Symptoms | ||
| One or more of the following symptoms usually mark the early stages of Lyme disease, typically within three days to a month after the bite of an infected tick: | ||
| Skin Rash | Fatigue | Chills and fever |
| Headache | Muscle and joint pain | Swollen lymph nodes |
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Some signs and symptoms of Lyme disease may not appear until weeks, months or even years after the initial bite
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| Prevention |
| 1. Avoid tick infested areas |
| 2. Keep ticks off of your skin |
| 3. Conduct tick checks on yourself, family members and pets every four to six hours for several days after you have been in a tick infested area. |
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4. Control ticks around your home and community 5. Create tick-safe zones by removing lead litter and brush around your home and at the edges of lawns. Place wood chips and gravel between lawns and wooded areas. Mow the lawn and clear brush regularly. Keep play equipment, decks and patios away from yard edges and trees |
