With changing climate and ample outdoor habitat for ticks, Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in the United States. It’s estimated that over 300,000 individuals a year contract Lyme disease in the US alone. You do not have to be a statistic.

Caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii, Lyme disease is typically transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash at the tick bite that may look like a “bull’s-eye”. If undiagnosed and left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. It can even affect your memory. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks. It can be treated if caught early, but in some cases the effects can be detrimental and long-lasting. Symptoms may show up in the weeks to months after a tick bite including: dizziness, nerve pain, shortness of breath, additional rashes on other parts of the body, facial palsy (drooping or loss of muscle tone in your face), tingling in the hands and feet, severe joint pain or swelling, racing heart, and problems with your short-term memory. Symptoms that come and go are common with Lyme disease. This is not a disease to take lightly.

Unbeknownst to many, other bacteria, parasites, and viruses are often transmitted by ticks, leading to “co-infections” of Lyme disease. The most common co-infections reported with Lyme disease are Babesia (32%), Bartonella (28%), rickettsial illnesses (26%) and Mycoplasma infections (15%). Rickettsial illnesses include ehrlichiosis (15%), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (6%) and anaplasmosis (5%) according to reporting by Lonnie Marcum. Many chronically ill patients with Lyme disease continue to experience symptoms of these co-infections long after receiving initial treatment.

Did you know there are over 80 species of ticks in the US? Of the worst, Ixodes (hard-bodied) ticks are known to transmit a significant number of bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Seven out of the 18 reportable tick-borne diseases in the U.S. are attributable to Ixodes ticks per the CDC. The main vectors are Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged tick or deer tick) found east of the Rockies, and Ixodes pacificus (western blacklegged tick) found west of the Rockies. The reality is that Ixodes ticks feed on hundreds of different species of lizards, birds, and mammals, where they can acquire numerous blood-borne organisms.

Known pathogens transmitted by Ixodes ticks include: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia mayonii, Babesia microti, Ehrlichia muris, and Powassan virus.

One distinction we would like to point out is that lone star tick bites have not been shown to lead to Lyme disease. Instead, lone star tick bites will occasionally lead to a circular rash similar to the rash of early Lyme disease, but it’s generally smaller with more central clearing (6-10 cm lesions whereas Lyme lesions can be 6-28 cm). According to the CDC, this condition has been named southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI). The rash may sometimes be accompanied by fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle pains, and it can be confused with Lyme disease. In cases of STARI to date, the rash and accompanying symptoms have resolved following treatment with an oral antibiotic (doxycycline).

The worst part is, many people are woefully unaware of the presence of ticks and often take their presence with a grain of salt. While Eastern residents are readily aware of ticks, great reporting by Phyllis Mervine notes that even western states such as California host as many as 48 species of ticks. Because of this wide and expanding range of ticks, it is likely that millions of people afflicted by tick-borne illnesses are not being treated properly because doctors in areas such as these do not have the experience or knowledge to properly and quickly diagnose them.

One common test used to diagnose Lyme disease is sex biased, so know your facts.

CDC statistics show differential distribution of Lyme disease based on age, with children and adults over 50 having the most cases. Also reported by the CDC, 58% of cases were male vs 42% female. Only recently though, are researchers starting to address possible factors behind this data. Researchers Stricker and Johnson (2009) reported that while the CDC Western blot criteria requires that 5 of 10 bands react for a lab test to be considered positive, women often have only 4 positive bands and will not show up positive for Lyme disease (men tend to have 6 positive bands). The unfortunate result here is that women could miss out on a timely diagnosis and treatment needed to recover. Fortunately there are other technologies out there for detecting Lyme disease including ELISA blood tests. Don’t be afraid to ask your health professional plenty of questions if you think you may have Lyme disease.

In addition to complicated illnesses difficult to assess and treat, did you know that a tick bite can lead to an allergy to meat?

A bite from the Lone Star tick can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat, including beef and pork. This allergy is related to a carbohydrate called alpha-gal and can be diagnosed with a blood test. Although reactions to foods typically occur immediately, in the instance of allergic reactions to alpha-gal, symptoms often take several hours to develop. This particular allergy is a life-long detriment, and can be devastating to families in the ranching and hunting communities. The Lone Star tick has been responsible for cases of the red meat allergy in the US, with this tick found predominantly in the Southeast, from Texas to Iowa and now up into New England.

Unfortunately ticks are present during 3 of 4 seasons, and we must always be on the lookout. Starting in the spring, nymphs can be found in piles of decomposing leaves under trees as well as in fields, picnic areas, and residential areas including your own backyard. If you’re an avid spring turkey hunter like us, this is extremely nerve wracking as you often find just the right spot to sit still for hours on end, just to find yourself covered in ticks by lunch.

Summer is the worst with larva, nymphs and adult ticks all out looking for their next meal. But what is summer without adequate outdoor time? Kids are out of school, the gardens need attending and there’s plenty of outdoor work to be done. Some days we’re in and out of the house or our vehicle dozens of times and it’s not always conducive to spray down with repellent. Still, we must always remain vigilant, and protect ourselves as best we can.

With fall comes those once a year outdoor adventures before the long chill of winter sets in. Whether you’re setting up shop in the backyard or traveling across country to camp or pursue big game such as bears, mountain lions, elk, or whitetail, it’s important to know that most ticks take a passive approach to finding their prey. They typically sit and wait for an opportune moment, commonly referred to as “questing.” Typically ticks will climb to the top of a grass blade or near the edges of a bush or branch and wait for potential prey to pass by. When it does, they extend their hooked front legs and latch onto fur, hair, or clothing, which pulls them off their perch and onto the host, where they can begin to feed. All ticks feed on the blood of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, and they will sometimes crawl up when they sense exhaled carbon dioxide.

Ticks do not fly or jump, they are climbers. While they are most often found low to the ground, they can climb up shrubs and trees.

They can literally be anywhere!

While ticks are sometimes discovered higher up on the body, they typically attach from lower perches on the ground and then instinctively crawl upward to attach around the head and neck areas where the skin is usually thinner. Ticks are also often found in the groin, armpit, and other areas where they are typically harder to detect, thereby giving them more time to feed.

So what’s the best line of defense against these nasty little creatures? Well, you could choose to stay in your house all day every day, but I think we all know this is not a long-term solution.

Knowing where ticks live and how they find prey, we have the upper hand. The best line of defense is to keep them from finding a way in or up!

Meet the Talarik SickTick Waist, Leg and Ankle Bands, by far the easiest and best way to deter ticks. When ticks get near the bands and attempt to cross, they are paralyzed and fall off. The licensed treatment technology leads to overexcitement of the nervous system of ticks, chiggers and ants, eventually causing them to die. The EPA approved pyrethroid based formula has no side effects for people or dogs. It is infused into the bands and will last the life of the band.

As you gear up for your next outdoor adventure, or simply step out into the backyard with your family, consider grabbing a few Talarik SickTick tick and chigger repellent bands. You’ll never find a faster easier solution to keeping ticks down and out!

*Note, this review was written when these were marketed as under a different brand name. They have since been rebranded under the SickTick brand, and the line has since expanded!