Lyme disease - Preventing tick bites

Lyme disease

How to prevent tick bites

If you live, work or spend time in a place where there are ticks, there are many things you can do to prevent tick bites.

Avoid areas where deer are most common.
Avoid high grass and vegetation.
Wear long-sleeved tops and long pants tucked into your socks if you go into areas that may be infected with ticks.

Source:
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Lyme disease: the facts, the challenge.
July 2008. Available at http://www.niaid.nih.gov (accessed on 13 August 2009).

¹
Wear light-colored clothing. This makes it easier to find and remove ticks.
Spray your clothes with an insect repellent or a chemical called permethrin.

Source:
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Lyme disease: the facts, the challenge.
July 2008. Available at http://www.niaid.nih.gov (accessed on 13 August 2009).

¹

Source:
Wormser GP, Dattwyler RJ, Shapiro ED, et al.
The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2006; 43: 1089-1134.

²
If you have been in an area where there are ticks, brush off and wash (if possible) your clothes as soon as you can. This prevents ticks being brought into the house.

Source:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn about Lyme disease.
Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 13 August 2009).

³

Source:
Steere AC.
Lyme disease.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 345: 115-125.

⁴
Check your body for ticks every day. Pay close attention to skin folds and hairy areas of your body.

Source:
Wormser GP, Dattwyler RJ, Shapiro ED, et al.
The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2006; 43: 1089-1134.

²
Check children carefully for ticks. Make sure to check their hair. Young children have a higher risk of getting bites on the head and neck area.
If you have any pets, then check their fur for ticks. This protects them from infection and prevents ticks being brought into the house.

If you find a biting tick, remove it straight away. For more information, see How to remove ticks.

Sources for the information on this page:

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Lyme disease: the facts, the challenge.July 2008. Available at http://www.niaid.nih.gov (accessed on 13 August 2009).

Wormser GP, Dattwyler RJ, Shapiro ED, et al.The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2006; 43: 1089-1134.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Learn about Lyme disease.Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme (accessed on 13 August 2009).

Steere AC.Lyme disease.New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 345: 115-125.

This information was last updated on Oct 13, 2009

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