Prevent tick bites Connecticut Department of Public Health Prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases starts with reducing your exposure to tick bites. Tick-borne diseases generally occur during the summer months when ticks are most active. To prevent these illnesses you must prevent tick bites. Use the following personal protection….

Lyme disease was first discovered in Lyme, Connecticut in 1977. Reporting for this disease began in Connecticut in 1987. Since then, it has become the most commonly reported disease spread by insects in Connecticut with an average 2,147 cases reported annually to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi . This bacteria is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick, Ixodes scapularis , also known as the deer tick. S ymptoms typically begin with an expanding red rash around the area of the bite and flu-like symptoms that include muscle aches, fatigue, and fever. These symptoms generally appear 3-32 days after the bite. If it is not diagnosed and treated promptly, Lyme disease may reappear weeks to months later, causing serious complications of the joints, nervous system, and heart. The early signs of the disease can be overlooked or misdiagnosed. In addition, some people bitten by an infected deer tick do not develop the early symptoms of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics….

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