In an interview with The Harvard Gazette, Nancy Shadick, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Rheumatology at Harvard Medical School and a rheumatologist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Orthopaedic and Arthritis Center, detailed the increased risk of getting Lyme disease during the summer months. Dr. Shadick explained that over the past decade, warmer temperatures in the United States have allowed the range of black-legged ticks to expand out from the upper Midwest and Northeast to include the mid-Atlantic and upper Northeast regions. She noted that ticks are most abundant in suburban and rural wooded areas with dense foliage and in localities with higher whitetail deer and white-footed mouse populations. For individuals who live in these at-risk areas, letting pets outside can increase the risk of getting Lyme disease, since ticks can cling to the fur of animals and could be brought into the house when the pets return. Further, individuals who are male or aged 5 to 9 years may be most likely to develop the disease. Dr. Shadick highlighted that individuals can reduce their risk of Lyme disease by remaining on hiking trials when in areas with woods or brush; wearing tick-proof clothing, such as light-colored fabrics to easily identify ticks and long pants tucked into socks; applying tick repellents containing diethyltoluamide (DEET); and checking for ticks in the folds of the skin, ears, neck, elbows, and knees after spending time outdoors. Those who may have been bitten by ticks should watch for symptoms of Lyme disease—including a ring-like erythema migrans rash, fever, headache, and aching joints. When the disease progresses, it can cause facial paralysis, arthritis, meningitis, or carditis; therefore, Dr. Shadick urged individuals who suspect they may have developed Lyme disease to visit a physician as soon as possible.
July 11, 2023