It's official... 2012 Lyme Disease threat heightened

[McPick]

Some of us on WB discussed the earlier than usual presence (explosion) of ticks in March. This broadcast is from msnbc on 4-21-12. Hope the link works. If not, copy and paste.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-n...0175/#47130175

Be careful out there, hikers... Pets too.

[Wise Old Owl]

Good find - I like the video! As usual the press found the "Lowell's who check for ticks every day when the are outside....because mom had Lyme "

Extreme? There is a growing group of people that are "pesticide free" who fear the solution worse than the problem. She "appears" to be one of this group where she has kids that play out in the woods and refuses to use common Cutter or Off products that act as a Repellent. As an inspector for tiny little bugs I can assure you her ability to find them as in the video is less than say 70 percent effective. Using a repellent is more efficient, and a effective way to avoid Lyme. Prior to being an inspector I got Rocky Mountain and Lyme several times. I can assure you I spray my legs with DWO Deep Woods Off and it works! They even make a travel size for UL's.

I can even make that backyard bug and mouse free in less than two weeks... All summer long....Safe. But that has nothing to do with WB.

[stranger]

Regardless it's been a mild winter and warm spring...ticks are going to be a substantial issue this year, all the more reason to Pemethrin as far as I'm concerned.

[Chaco Taco]

Its already especially bad up here in New England. Warnings all over the place

[marty1983]

While I was in Franklin, I met a couple thru hiking from Switzerland. We got to talking and somehow the subject about ticks and lyme disease came up. They told me that they received a special immunization shot that is supposed to prevent the disease even if you are bite by an infected tick. They were required to get the shot in Switzerland and that it is not available in the U.S. much less even heard of. I am wondering how effective this shot is and why it's not offered in our country. I am just going off of what they told me.

[LDog]

Your dog can be vaccinated, but we can't. (I asked my vet ...) The vaccine was on the market here. but was withdrawn by the manufacturer during a period when there were allegations of side effects. Allegedly. I mean, I read it on Wikipedia, so it must be true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease#Vaccination

[Snowleopard]

While I was in Franklin, I met a couple thru hiking from Switzerland. We got to talking and somehow the subject about ticks and lyme disease came up. They told me that they received a special immunization shot that is supposed to prevent the disease even if you are bite by an infected tick. They were required to get the shot in Switzerland and that it is not available in the U.S. much less even heard of. I am wondering how effective this shot is and why it's not offered in our country. I am just going off of what they told me.

Searching for the Swiss vaccine all I could find was a vaccine for tick borne encephalitis, not Lyme. The encephalitis vaccine is recommended for visiting rural and forested areas of Switzerland. I wonder if that's what they meant? The US Lyme vaccine was taken off the market quite a while ago. My recollection from the time is that it wasn't 100% effective.

I guess we're still stuck with using clothing, permethrin, DEET and tick checks to prevent Lyme.

Local news says that deer tick nymphs are about a month early in Mass.