Durham Health Department Advises Precautions for Lyme Disease During Awareness Month

May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month. The Durham Region Health Department advises residents to take measures to prevent Lyme disease, which is transmitted through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

The Health Department reports that blacklegged ticks can be found in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas across Durham Region, and that these ticks are most active in spring and summer. According to the Health Department, people or animals may encounter ticks when they brush against plants in these environments.

Prevention steps outlined by the Health Department include using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and checking people and pets for ticks after spending time outdoors. The Health Department states that removing an attached tick within 24 to 36 hours can lower the risk of Lyme disease.

Additional information on ticks and Lyme disease is available from the Durham Region Health Department.