Ticks slow down even bed down during the early winter but are still active when the temperatures are above freezing. Tick exposure and tick bites are still possible all during fall and early winter. Send any attached ticks you find for tick exposure testing.
Keep checking for ticks after your hike, finishing yard work, and playing in the leaves. Look for, find, and remove ticks from your clothing and body. Here is an example procedure.
Ticks insulate from the cold by burying themselves under leaves or underbrush. There they wait for warmth and access to a meal. When the weather stays above freezing, they can be active. If you look at the data you see that tick encounters go down significantly in January and February, they still occur in periods above or around freezing.
Protect Against Tick Bites Year Round
Dr. Stephen Rich is an expert on ticks and tick behavior. He heads a team at UMass Amherst, who tests ticks submitted by people to determine the infections they carry from all over the world. At the Central Mass Lyme conference, Dr. Rich spoke on understanding risk and taking appropriate action to protect yourself from tick exposure. I talk and write about tick bite protection often and believe that prevention is a critical tool in fighting against tick-borne illness.
Dr. Rich and his team launched the “send a tick to college” program and have been collecting data on ticks and infection for over ten years. UMass is one of several centers in New England that test ticks. At this time they have a statistically significant pool of data to help quantify your risk of exposure to ticks, based on where you live and play.
3 Reasons For Tick Exposure Testing
- Tic Exposure Testing companies screen for many of the common pathogens carried by ticks. The test report will tell you the types of possible infections a Black legged Deer Tick found attached on you has in its body and can transmit. It is important to note that not all ticks carry pathogens. Ticks that carry pathogens do not always give them to you even when they bite you. Data shows that ticks most often contain one or two different pathogens, although up to 5 have been documented in the laboratory at UMass.
- A highly accurate, 24 to 72-hour results on Tick Status is an excellent piece of information. The fast turnaround on the infectious nature of the tick can help you get into a doctor more quickly and help your doctor determine potential course of treatment. Testing ticks is cheaper, faster and more accurate than the people tests. If your submission tests pathogen-free, it can help you feel more secure about your status.
- The database of test results provides reliable information on tick behavior and infection rates to protect yourself. If you live in a highly infectious area, where 60% plus of the ticks carry Lyme, you want to be vigilant in using standard practices to minimize tick exposure. In Massachusetts you can look up infection rates online.
With Lyme Disease Information is Power
The purpose of this article is to share and educate on tick-bite protection and Lyme disease recovery strategies. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.