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Community Corner

Mount Auburn Hospital Introduces New Tick-Borne Disease Outreach Program

With the number of cases of tick-borne disease on the rise in Middlesex County, Mount Auburn Hospital has created a comprehensive Lyme Disease EducationProgram as a new community and hospital education initiative. The goal of the campaign is Lyme disease prevention and early detection and offers a variety of easy-to-follow tips.  “We have created a multi-pronged educationprogram.We’re targeting schools, camps, golf courses - really anyone who lives in Middlesex County is our audience.  Ticks are everywhere,” said Mary Johnson, Director of Community Health at Mount Auburn Hospital.

 

The first tip is to avoid known tick-infested areas – many local health departments and parks post their area tick information.OtherTips when spending time outdoors or in potential tick-infested area include:

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  • Wear insect repellant.  A spray containing 20% DEET concentration on skin and clothes is best.

  • Tick insecticide, Permethrin, is also recommended. Permethrin can be sprayed on clothing and shoes, but not the skin.

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  • Wear long sleeves/pants and light colored clothes so ticks are easily noticed.

  • Tuck pants into shoes and shoes into socks.

  • When hiking, walk in the center of trails.

  • After being outdoors, shower or bathe immediately, put clothes in the dryer at  high temperatures to kill any possible ticks.

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    The hospital also advocates checking for ticks all over one’s body, including many commonly overlooked spots, such as:

    • Inside and behind ears

    • Along the hairline

    • Back of the neck and knees

  • Armpits

  • Groin

  • Legs

  • Between toes

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    If a tick is found on the skin, it should be removed with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and the site should be disinfected immediately.

     

    “Awareness and early detection is key when preventing tick bites and Lyme disease,” explained Trish Lemon, Infectious Disease RN and educator at Mount Auburn Hospital. “It is important to remember the date of any tick bites and to watch for symptoms even after the removal. Symptoms of early Lyme disease include: a skin rash at the site of the bite, fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes. The rash may appear red and circular, usually within 3-14 days after the bite of an infected tick, sometimes many rashes appear, and the center of the rash may be clear, similar to a bulls-eye.”

     

    For more information regarding Lyme disease prevention and early detection, please call 617-499-5625.


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