Ticks Beat Mosquitoes As Health Director’s Biggest Worry

By John Voket

Health Director Donna McCarthy hopes the recent discovery of a crow infected with West Nile virus in town does not overshadow a recent state report showing Newtown leading the region in Lyme-infected ticks. According to Ms McCarthy, at least half of the ticks brought into her office and screened at Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, a sometimes hard-to-diagnose infection.

Ms McCarthy and others believe the West Nile infected crow could have come from as far away as Long Island before it was discovered in Newtown June 17. Still, the town is following state recommendations to step up awareness efforts, and is taking steps to eradicate mosquito larvae.

Last week, Town Highway Department crews quickly fanned out on snow plow routes, applying a nontoxic larvicide to more than 6,000 catch basins and numerous locations of standing water on town properties.

Ms McCarthy is also urging homeowners to assess their properties for areas of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, and if that water source cannot be eliminated, to consider using a similar type of natural larvicide to control the insects.

“Until we are showing no incidents of infection in the region, I think we should plan to make larvicide applications an annual practice,” the health director said.

She said the larvicide effort is proactive, affecting the insects during the reproduction process, and would likely prevent any need for chemical spraying later in the summer.

“I would be hard-pressed to use chemical spraying,” Ms McCarthy said. “I’d probably have to see widespread infection or even a fatality [to endorse spraying] and by that time, I’m sure we’d be coordinating with the state on that.”

She said the natural larvicide, Vectolex CG, a product of Valent BioSciences Corp of Libertyville Ill., was very effective last year. “In 2003 we used this practice and no positive mosquitoes were detected in town,” said Ms McCarthy.

The health director did express concern, however, that focus on West Nile would turn attention away from what she believes is a much more critical public health threat, Lyme-infected ticks. Late last week, a spokesperson at the state agricultural lab confirmed Newtown has the highest number of ticks testing positive for Lyme among towns in this region.

According to the lab reports, Newtown is testing in the 50 percent range, with Southbury close behind at 49 percent. Although Monroe is currently not submitting ticks for testing, other neighboring communities are substantially lower than Newtown with Shelton reporting 32 percent infected, Bethel at 31 percent, and Redding a distant 14 percent rate of infection.

With these high numbers, McCarthy said she is focusing an increasing amount of attention on tick and Lyme awareness. Literature the Health District sent home in June with all Newtown Public School students outlines the facts about Lyme disease as well as other tick-borne infections that can be contracted.

“The worst thing about these ticks is, you can get bit and never know until you are diagnosed with a related illness, sometimes weeks or months later,” McCarthy warned. “Most people think they will see warning signs like a circular rash around the bite immediately, but the rash doesn’t always occur.”

Although the average adult deer tick can often be seen, it is the young nymph that poses a greater threat because they are nearly undetectable to the eye and, generally, there is no sting when they attach, she explained. To add to the confusion, Lyme disease infection may initially present as any combination of flulike symptoms, including, but not limited to, low-grade fever, muscle or joint aches, fatigue, headaches, chills, or a stiff neck.

A gradually spreading, painless rash that develops within three to 21 days after a bite is usually one of the more evident signs of Lyme infection. The literature also indicates similar symptoms may present in the event of other tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis, a parasite that causes malarialike symptoms that is generally more toxic in adults over age 50.

Deer ticks can spread another bacterial infection called ehrlichiosis, which depletes white blood cells and platelets and elevates liver enzymes. Although treatments are often successful when the diagnosis is made early, symptoms may not develop for weeks after the bite.

That is why Ms McCarthy is stressing personal protection and property management to control ticks and prevent tick bites. Many of the same common sense measures can be applied to controlling mosquitoes, she said.

“Residents can come in to our office and get information on particular ways of controlling ticks and mosquitoes,” Ms McCarthy said. “Generally, using a store-bought repellent, dressing appropriately when working or playing outdoors, and creating tick and mosquito-free zones around the house are the best measures one can take.”

Ms McCarthy said mosquitoes can breed in as little as an inch of standing water in a coffee cup, so attention must be paid to all areas of the property where standing water may occur. She also suggested homeowners with larger water sources might consider using a natural larvicide in ponds and swampy areas.

Greg Dancho, director of Bridgeport’s Beardsley Zoo, recommends moderation, however, even when using nontoxic natural larvicides.

“It’s possible the unchecked use of these larvicides could wipe out a natural food source for amphibians and fish in and around local water bodies,” he warned. “With less than 20 reported cases of West Nile in Connecticut last year, it’s probably a good move for the health director to direct her attention to Lyme disease, which affects thousands of people right here in Connecticut.”

There are several proven steps to avoid tick bites, according to Newtown Health District literature:

Know where ticks thrive and avoid these habitats.

Take personal protection precautions, even if you had a Lyme vaccine. (The Lyme vaccine is no longer available, and those who had it may no longer be protected.)

When in areas of possible exposure, dress properly, wear long pants and sleeves and materials of light color to detect ticks, cover or contain your hair under a hat.

Conduct thorough tick checks and wash clothing soon after leaving any suspected tick habitat, and remove ticks promptly and properly if found.

Use DEET or Permethrin products to maximize protection.

Check pets daily, and consider using tick control products on the advice of your veterinarian.