December 01, 2011 1:36 PM

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and can cause fever, headache, and fatigue. if left untreated, the disease can then cause joint problems, cardiac issues, and neurological issues. there is typically a rash that appears at the site of the bite that looks similar to a bulls eye. this disease can be contracted numerous times without your body creating a defense against it due to the fact that it hides in your lymph nodes and can even change their structure.

Lyme disease is not the only disease that can be contracted from a tick. Another disease is called Anaplasmosis. this pathogen invades your white blood cells and causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches and headaches. The other is called Babesiosis, a pathogen that invades your red blood cells and, according to Mr. Dapsis, “blows them up.” this disease causes malaria-like symptoms such as sweats, chills, gastrointestinal distress, respiratory distress, and severe anemia.

The issue that plagues many is how to successfully keep ticks from attacking people and transmitting these diseases. there are several things people can do to help reduce the likelihood of a tick bite, such as using an insect repellant that contains DEET or Permethrin. there are also Permethrin sprays for your clothing, which last for approximately six washes before needing to be reapplied. there is now even Permethrin-treated clothing that can repel ticks for up to 70 washings.

“In terms of protecting yourself, what really has been under-communicated is the potential benefit of repellent treated clothing,” said Larry.

Mr. Dapsis had a pair of these slacks on hand, made by the company Insect Shield, and demonstrated their power. He placed three female deer ticks on the pants and we watched as the ticks appeared to become increasingly more disoriented until they eventually stopped moving altogether. The whole process took approximately 10 minutes. according to Mr. Dapsis, the ticks are doomed if exposed to the chemical infused apparel for more than 60 seconds.

“These pants act like a tick waterslide, the grab on then slide right off. I have been using these pants as well as spraying my boots and socks with Permethrin and have not had a single tick bite all year, and I am out there in the brush looking for them,” Mr. Dapsis said.

According to Mr. Dapsis, there are simple ways to protect one’s yard and pets as well. Homeowners can spray the perimeter of their yards with a repellent that must be used in early spring and again in early summer. Homeowners can purchase the chemical or hire a company to provide this service. The chemical acts as a barrier to help keep ticks away from your property. Homeowners can also mulch the perimeter of their property, which helps keep ticks at bay. other, easier methods include keeping bird feeders away from the home, and staying away from plants that attract white tail deer. Bird feeders attract white footed mice, which are known carriers of ticks. Deer are also carriers of a large number of ticks. according to Larry, a deer can carry as many as 200 to 300 ticks around their ears.

Pet protection is pretty straightforward: simply apply flea and tick medication such as Frontline or Advantix as directed. this has proven to be a successful tick inhibitor, and is all that is necessary to help ensure a pet is protected.

Ticks only feed three times in their two-year life cycle. there are four stages to a tick’s life cycle. They are egg stage, the larva stage, the nymph stage, and the adult stage. a bite from a tick in the larva stage holds no real threat as they have not had the chance to contract anything from biting an infected animal. The nymph stage is the most dangerous, because ticks in this stage typically bite small rodents or birds and contract the diseases from them. once they finish feeding and detach from that animal, they are now infected for life and can transmit that disease to another organism it attaches to.

Mr. Dapsis said 25 percent of nymphs carry at least one of the three main tick-borne diseases, and they transmit these diseases most often due to their small size. a typical nymph is the size of a single poppy seed. Fifty percent of adult ticks carry at least one of the three diseases, but transmission is less likely as they are more readily seen and are removed before anything can be transmitted. Mr. Dapsis said it takes approximately 24 hours to contract a tick-borne disease.

For more information visit Barnstable County’s website capecpdextension.org or call Larry Dapsis at 508-375-6642.

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