Newtowners Made About 20 Percent Of Yale Tick Study Queries So Far
Newtowners Made About 20 Percent Of Yale Tick Study Queries So Far
By John Voket
Just two weeks after registration opened, about 20 percent of queries from Fairfield County homeowners trying to qualify for a Yale University study on the relationship between ticks and Lyme disease have come from Newtown Health District residents.
Qualified Newtowners, along with homeowners from seven adjacent communities, can participate in a fully funded study to determine if a one-time pesticide application will minimize or eliminate tick infestations and reduce tick-borne disease or its potential for occurring to participating homeowners.
The Yale School of Public Healthâs Emerging Infections Program (EIP) is recruiting homeowners in eight Fairfield County communities to participate in the Lyme and other tick-borne diseases prevention study (LTDPS).
Individuals with single-family homes on at least half an acre of property may be eligible to participate in the study, co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Connecticut Department of Public Health.
Locally, Health District Director Donna Culbert is overseeing developments for Newtown, Bridgewater, and Roxbury. She told The Bee that as of March 15, there had been 173 inquiries total from eight participating towns â Bethel, Bridgewater, New Fairfield, Newtown, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Weston, and Westport.
âThirty-nine of those inquiries are from Newtown Health district jurisdiction,â Ms Culbert said. âThirty-five from Newtown, three from Bridgewater, and one from Roxbury.â
She said that of those 173 homes, 43 have been enrolled so far, and the other 130 require follow-up.
âOf the 43 enrolled, six are from Newtown â so far.,â she added. âYale will be bringing someone full-time on board for the enrollment process on March 21, which will increase their capacity to enroll. We ask that residents be patient.â
As part of the study, half the properties will receive a single springtime application of this widely used pesticide and the other half a placebo (water) to control ticks. The one-time spraying will only be around the yard perimeter.
Following the application, participants will be interviewed by telephone at the beginning of the study and complete e-mail surveys at monthly intervals from May through October to assess their encounters with ticks (e.g., numbers attached and numbers found crawling on people) and the number of tick-borne illnesses among household residents.
Findings from the treated properties will be compared to those from the placebo properties to determine if a springtime application of the commonly used pesticide can reduce rates of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, according to Yaleâs EIP spokesperson.
Ms Culbert said the program is coming none too soon, as ticks are currently active, and hungry.
âWith a fair weekend of weather behind us, two residents brought in ticks for testing on Monday,â the health director said. âSo it is important for residents to remember, the ten-day forecast for Newtown shows most of those days near, at, or warmer than 50 degrees. That means ticks will be active.â
Ms Culbert believes that ticks are not on peopleâs radar as early as March, but she has the evidence to prove Newtown residents must begin thinking about ticks.
âRemember, wear protective clothing, itâs easy to do this time of year, and check family members and pets when you come inside,â she advised. âI know I am anxious to start cleaning up my yard; I am sure there are many others who are, too. But itâs a high risk activity; yes, it is rewarding and it doesnât have to be so hazardous if we take the appropriate steps.â
With that in mind, she is also making available alternative information to local homeowners who want to begin employing organic or nonchemical landscaping practices to deter or minimize tick infestations. The pamphlet is available to anyone, regardless of their participation in the study, or whether they qualify.
To request more information or to enroll in the study, call 888-668-1856 or contact the health district office at 203-270-4291. Learn more at www.publichealth.yale.edu/eip