Lyme Disease Is an Epidemic in Fall River & South Shore

When you think of the word epidemic it brings up feelings of fear and thoughts of a disease spreading rapidly and suddenly through a specific area. While an epidemic is definitely cause for concern it is not necessary to panic. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies a disease as epidemic it simply means “an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population or area.”

This July, the health officials for the state of Massachusetts have declared Lyme Disease an epidemic. Specific locales are suffering worse than others, for instance Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County are experiencing some of the highest numbers of Lyme Disease cases in the state.  Residents living in Middleboro, Brockton and Taunton are suffering from an infestation of disease-ridden deer ticks that is beyond anything we’ve seen before.

More Deer = More Deer Ticks

Reports from WCVB point to the large population of deer in the greater Boston area and the surrounding counties as fueling the infestation of deer ticks. Whenever the number of deer go up and the number of deer ticks go up, the number of Lyme Disease cases go up too. Anything you can do to keep the deer out of your yard will be beneficial in lowering the number of ticks on your property.

Lyme Disease Symptoms

Don’t forget to check yourself for ticks after being outdoors and watch for symptoms to occur within a month after exposure. Symptoms of Lyme Disease can include red expanding rash called a bulls-eye rash, fatigue, fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint aches and swollen lymph nodes. Seek medical help immediately if you suspect Lyme Disease. Treatment with antibiotics as soon as possible can mean a full recovery.

A Lyme Disease Epidemic Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

Mosquito Squad of Fall River & Mosquito Squad of South Shore can eliminate 85-90% of the ticks in your yard with our traditional barrier treatment plus tick tube treatment. Our tick mist eliminates ticks on contact and continues to work for up to 21 days, while our tick tubes eliminate the next generation of ticks as they nest in rodent dens and on rodents. By eliminating the threat of ticks in your yard we can ease your worries about the current Lyme Disease epidemic in Massachusetts.

Lyme Disease Awareness Meeting Monday August 10

For more information on Lyme Disease check out the Lyme Disease Awareness meeting on August 10^th at the Marshfield Senior Center. The event will begin at 1pm and is open to the public. The director of Bureau of Infectious Disease for the Massachusetts Department of Health will be discussing Lyme prevention, Lyme treatment, and other important tick-borne diseases such as Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis.