Living With Wildlife Series
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an infectious illness that is transmitted to animals and humans by the bite of a tick. Symptoms can resemble the flu, severe arthritis and even Alzheimer's disease. When caught early, Lyme disease is easily treated with antibiotics.
In our area the common carrier is the Black-legged tick (Ixodes dammini), a tiny tick no bigger than the head of a pin and often much smaller. Black-legged ticks (formerly called deer ticks) feed on many animals including deer, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, birds and domestic animals. The disease itself is actually transmitted to ticks by mice and chipmunks not deer.
While there is evidence that an increased deer population can increase the number of deer ticks in an area, there is also good evidence that once ticks are present, reducing deer numbers often has only a slight effect on reducing the numbers of ticks. The best defense against this disease is protection against the ticks. For concerns regarding Lyme disease in Montgomery County, call 240-777-1755.
Black-legged ticks are tiny, often no bigger than the head of a pin and often smaller.Additional informative on Lyme disease:
- Montgomery Countymd Department of Health and Human Services
- Preventing Lyme Disease in Montgomery County (pdf, 333KB). Get a printed copy by calling 1(800) 886-5963.
- Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
- Lyme Disease Foundation
- Lots of Links for Lyme Disease
Date of last update: August 1, 2008
