PORTLAND, Maine — Editor's note: The video above was originally published on Sept. 26, 2023.
The Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention is reminding residents and visitors to take precautions in guarding themselves against ticks this fall.
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services issued a news release Wednesday stating adult deer ticks remain active through November.
Deer ticks can carry germs that cause a variety of diseases and are commonly found in wooded, leafy, and shrubby areas, which can include areas around your yard. The diseases can spread through a bite of an infected deer tick, according to the release.
Reports from the Maine CDC’s Maine Tracking Network have logged five different tickborne illnesses across the state.
Maine 2023 tick stats
- 2,416 cases of Lyme disease
- 563 cases of anaplasmosis
- 156 cases of babesiosis
- 9 cases of hard tick relapsing fever
- 4 cases of Powassan encephalitis
According to the Maine CDC, the most common symptom of Lyme disease is a “bullseye” rash. Other symptoms from tickborne illnesses can include body aches, chills, fever, headaches, and swollen lymph nodes. The Maine CDC instructs anyone experiencing symptoms to talk to their doctor and be sure to mention any recent tick exposures.
How to limit exposure
- Know tick habitat and take precautions in areas where ticks may live.
- Wear light-colored clothing that covers the arms and legs, and tuck pants into socks.
- Use an EPA-approved repellent like DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on the skin. Use permethrin on clothing.
- Check for ticks daily and after any outdoor activity. Check family members and pets, too.
- Remove your clothing when you get home and put it in the dryer before washing. Use high heat for 10-15 minutes to kill any crawling ticks.
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab offers tick identification for free and tick testing to Maine residents for a $20 fee. The testing can take up to three days and is encouraged to be used only for identification purposes and not a diagnosis.
Finding a tick on you that wasn’t attached doesn’t always mean germs haven’t been transmitted, the release states.
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