The black-legged tick (deer tick) is one of three types of ticks common in Monmouth County, and the only one that causes Lyme disease in humans. TINTON FALLS – Residents who find a tick can bring it to the Monmouth County Mosquito Commission’s (MCMC) office to have it analyzed for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
“The Tick Identification and Testing Service is meant to serve as a first alert for people receiving a tick bite,” said Sean Healy, entomologist for the Tick-borne Diseases Program. “This is very important as we enter the peak time for Lyme disease transmission.”
Since initiating the Identification and Testing Service in the fall of 2005, Healy said nearly 800 specimens have been processed.
County residents who suffer from a tick bite can bring it to the MCMC office in Tinton Falls, where it will be tested for the presence of the Lyme disease bacterium. A $25 fee will be charged to cover the cost of the laboratory testing.
There are three common tick types in Monmouth County: the black-legged tick (deer tick), the lone star tick and the American dog tick. Of these, only black-legged ticks play a role in transmitting the Lyme disease bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi) to humans and pets.
The MCMC will not remove the tick from individuals or offer any medical diagnosis. Ticks can be brought dead or alive to the MCMC office for identification and testing.
Tick reports will indicate the type of tick, and other useful information about the tick, as well as whether it was infected with the Lyme disease bacterium. Residents can bring these reports to their physician or retain them as part of their medical record. Unfortunately, in addition to Lyme disease, there are other tick-borne diseases in Monmouth County that people and their health-care providers must be aware of.
Residents who wish to have a tick identified and tested do not have to make an appointment. The MCMC can be visited Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Mosquito Commission’s office is located at 1901 Wayside Road in Tinton Falls. Residents will be contacted with test results via telephone and provided with a written report.
Reducing exposure to ticks is the best defense against Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following simple measures to help prevent tick bites:
+ Ticks prefer wooded and brushy areas with high grass and a lot of leaf litter. These are areas to avoid.
+ Be extra cautious in May, June and July. This is when the black-legged tick nymph is most abundant.
+ If you do enter a tick area, walk in the center of the trail to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush and leaf litter.
+ Use insect repellent with 20-30 percent DEET on adult skin and clothing to prevent tick bites. Permethrin, another type of repellent, kills ticks on contact. Permethrin is for clothing only and should not be applied directly to the skin.
+ Wear long pants, long sleeves and long socks to keep ticks off your skin. Light-colored clothing will help you spot ticks more easily. Tucking pant legs into socks or boots and tucking shirts into pants help keep ticks on the outside of clothing. If you are going to be outside for an extended period of time, tape the area where your pants and socks meet to prevent ticks from crawling under your clothes.
+ Remove ticks from your clothes before going indoors. To kill ticks that you may have missed, wash your clothes with hot water and dry them using high heat for at least an hour.
+ Perform daily tick checks after being outdoors, even in your own yard. Inspect all parts of your body carefully including armpits, scalp and groin. Remove ticks immediately using fine-tipped tweezers.
+ If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is extremely small. But to be safe, monitor your health closely after a tick bite and be alert for any signs and symptoms of tick-borne illness.
Additional information regarding ticks and tick-borne diseases can be found on the MCMC Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com/mosquito or by calling the Mosquito Commission at (732) 542-3630.