Why is Lyme Disease Rare in FL When Ticks Are Not?

If Lyme disease is so rare in Florida, do we really need Jacksonville tick control?

Environmental experts believe that even with plenty of them lurking in our moist, dense Jacksonville undergrowth and foliage, Florida Lyme Disease cases are no match for the number of cases in the Northeastern U.S.

Disease-spreading ticks feed on different types of wildlife in FL; and they are not as mobile in our hot, sunny northeast Florida climate.

By comparison, the black-legged ones in the northeast area of the United States are far greater in number, and as such, so are the number of CDC-confirmed cases of Lyme Disease.

Lyme Disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, with an estimated 300,000 cases each year. And unfortunately for healthcare experts, according to The Centers for Disease Control, the vast majority of those cases are not confirmed. So, the number of people walking around with debilitating Lyme Disease is truly unknown. And that is really scary.

But what we do know among the confirmed cases is the imbalance of diagnosed Lyme Disease cases in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States – even though deer ticks are rampant in both regions.

Interestingly enough, scientists now believe they have found clear answers to this disparity. The clarification begins with mice and lizards!

Though they often feed on reptiles here in Jacksonville, they are less likely to receive a strong dose of the Lyme Disease pathogens when taking their blood meal.

Research from a two-year study found that areas where black-legged ticks feed on the blood of lizards are less likely to have reports of Lyme Disease infection than areas where ticks feed on rodents like the white-footed mouse. As such, there are far less infected black-legged ticks in the Southeast than in the Northeast.

Because ticks are plentiful, we recommend year-round Jacksonville tick control.

Simply put, the answer is an unequivocal “Yes, we need tick control in Jacksonville to prevent the spread of disease.”

The most common diseases that come from ticks in Florida are Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other spotted fever illnesses.

Symptoms of these Jacksonville tick-borne diseases usually start within two weeks of being bitten. Although there are disease-specific symptoms such as the bull’s eye rash sometimes seen in cases of Lyme Disease, the most common symptoms for tick-borne disease are fever, headache, and muscle pain.

As these symptoms may also be seen with many other types of illnesses, if you feel ill after recently being in an area that is wooded or has long grass, it is always important to tell your health care provider. Mention that you are concerned because you were in a tick habitat.

How to prevent tick bites in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida

Following these helpful hints – combined with a tick control regiment at home with Mosquito Squad – is your smartest course of action when outdoors.

1. Walk in the center of paths and trails. Stay clear of thick grasses and dense vegetation.

2. Keep grass, shrubs and trees close to your residence well-trimmed to discourage tick nesting.

3. When outside with your pets, use veterinarian recommended products to keep ticks off them.

4. Perform regular tick checks on yourself, your family, and your pets, especially if you find a tick in the process of biting you. In our experience, they love to latch onto bare feet and exposed arms and legs.

5. Shower soon after being in a tick habitat.

Effective tick control in Jacksonville starts with Mosquito Squad of Northeast Florida,

Tick control in Jacksonville is a two-part solution for homes in our area.

Part one is the tick elimination power of our Mosquito Squad barrier treatment. It kills ticks on contact and its efficacy lasts 3 weeks.

Part two ensures even greater tick control with our tick tubes. They are filled with cotton which has been saturated with a tick-control solution. The treated cotton fibers are then carried by field mice and rodents to the nesting places where ticks reside.

Mosquito Squad of Northeast Florida recommends year-round tick control in Jacksonville FL to prevent Lyme disease. Call (904) 844-0816.