The maps accompanied a study done by scientists at Clemson University, North Carolina State University and the University of Georgia, and show the predicted Lyme disease prevalence in dogs in each of the 48 contiguous states, drawing mostly on monthly test data from veterinarians.
Michael Yabsley, a parasitologist at the University of Georgia, and Christopher McMahan, an assistant professor of mathematical sciences at Clemson, combined factors associated with Lyme disease — forestation, surface water area, temperature, population density and median household income — with nearly 12 million Borrelia burgdorferi antibody test results from dogs collected between 2011 and 2015, provided by the veterinary diagnostic company IDEXX Laboratories Inc.
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We are doomed! Every time I mow the grass in my yard, I cover up, and I still pick off one or two ticks. I immediately wash the area and scrub it with rubbing alcohol. Spent my entire life here, and have never heard of Lyme disease until recent years. Really scary!
ReplyDeleteAs long as the little buggers are on you for less than 24 hours you are not supposed to be able to get Lyme's disease from them. Just make sure if you go outside you check yourself thoroughly when you come in!
ReplyDeleteFound out recently - after my granddaughter's dog contracted Lyme disease - flea and tick prevention measures kill any tick that bites. The disease is spread by the bite. That means an infected tick will transmit the disease before the preventive measure does its job. Dog also need a shot to prevent Lyme disease. Was also told it is very prevalent throughout Wicomico County.
ReplyDeleteWhat does median household income have to do with the amount of ticks?
ReplyDelete11:26. The disease isn't spread by a bite alone. The tick has to attach and feed (on blood) for a minimum of 36 hours in order to transmit the disease.
ReplyDeleteBeen tick bit all my life. I've never presented with the symptoms of Lyme disease. But I sure do read a lot about it. I've already picked off three attached ticks this year, and probably 6, or so, that were just crawling on me. I live in a wooded area, and it looks like a bad year for ticks.
ReplyDeleteMe too 1:28. Not all ticks carry Lyme or other tick diseases including
ReplyDeleteEhrlichosis which we're seeing in dogs in certain areas on the shore. Humans can contact that as well but there is currently no blood test to determine for humans. I also think some people are more susceptible to these tick diseases then others so that could be the reason.
You want to worry about something medical....Ebola has just broken out in Africa again and 10 are dead as of today. File that under frightening.
ReplyDeleteI'd be frightened if I lived in Africa, but I don't. And I bet Africans aren't frightened unless the victim lives in their village.
ReplyDeleteThis lymes disease hype is a bunch of nonsense. Been living in the country 60 years. Always been ticks. Have pulled thousand off me every year. Never had any bad reactions/symptoms/diseases from them. People getting lymes is the same ones that can't eat peanuts/allergic to everything/can't eat bread etc., snowflake disease.
ReplyDeleteagree
DeleteI found this really cool stuff called "Bug Spray". You can spray it out on your yard and it kills the fleas and ticks.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised nobody else has heard of it!