1. Lyme Disease Awareness for Families
Joshua Smith
Fairfax County Health Department
Fairfax County, VA, May 30, 2015

2. Outline
Ticks in Fairfax County
Tickborne Disease Prevention

3. Tick Life Cycle 4 Stages Egg Larva Nymph Adult Female, Male
CDC/Christopher Paddock

4. Tick Species in Fairfax County
Image credit: CDC 4

5. The Waiting Game Ticks do not fly, jump, or fall from trees
Crawl on grass or other low vegetation
Wait for animal to pass by
Wait in leaf litter
Use carbon dioxide and scents to find host animals 5

6. Lyme Disease Transmission Ecology

7. Personal Protection

8. Personal Protection Avoidance Repellent Dressing properly
Permethrin for clothing
Shower
Tick check
Prompt removal of attached ticks

9. Avoid Tick Habitats How do I avoid them? Where are they?
Stick to the middles of trails.
Avoid tall grass and brush.
Where are they?
Leaf litter and low lying vegetation.
Forests and woodlands where host animals are present. 9

10. Hours of protection (25%)
Repellents*
Repels mosquitoes
Repels ticks
Hours of protection (25%)
Use on children**
DEET
Yes 5
Over 2 months
Picaridin
Maybe --
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus 4
Over 3 years
IR 3535 3
*Always read and follow label instructions.
**Do not allow children to apply repellent to themselves.

11. Dress to Protect Treat clothes with permethrin.
Tie back long hair or wear a hat.
Wear long, loose and light colored clothing.
Tuck your pant legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants.

12. Permethrin for Clothing
Permethrin is the active ingredient
Insecticide that can be applied to your clothing, NOT your skin
Pre-treated clothing or DIY
Always read and follow label instructions. 12

13. Perform Regular Tick Checks
During, immediately after and several hours after spending time outside
Check whole body
Use a friend or mirror to check hard to see areas

14. I found a tick attached to me… now what?
Don’t panic
Remove it
Save the tick for identification
See a physician if you experience symptoms. 14

15. How to Remove a Tick Use fine-tipped tweezers
Grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin surface and pull upward with steady, even pressure
After removing the tick, disinfect the site and wash your hands
Save the tick for identification
Image credit: CDC

16. Why get a tick ID’d? Several species of ticks in our area
Not all small ticks are deer ticks
Only deer ticks transmit Lyme disease bacteria
Other tick-borne diseases
We do not test ticks for diagnostic purposes or provide medical advice

17. Free Tick Identification Service
Instructions
Carefully remove attached tick
Place tick in sealable plastic bag
Label with your name, address, and phone number
Bring tick to FCHD Kelly Square Building (10777 Main St, Fairfax, VA)
We will identify species, often while you wait

18. Make Your Yard a Tick Free Zone
Create a sunny, dry area
Remove leaf litter & tall grass
Lay down wood chips and gravel
Keep playground equipment and decks away from yard edge and trees.
Use fences
Apply insecticide } 18

19. Preventing Ticks Around the Home
Chemical control
Broad-spectrum pesticides
Non-target effects
No tick-specific treatments
Careful, judicious use
Read and follow label!

20. Thank you