Stay healthy and informed as tickborne illnesses increase in Ohio, nationwide

在最近 inaugural Infectious Diseases in Appalachian Ohio Summit 在newbb电子平台，卫生官员讨论了俄亥俄州莱姆病病例的惊人增长. Similar increases have been observed nationally as well—according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the incidence of 莱姆病 in the U.S. has approximately doubled since 1991.

莱姆病是俄亥俄州最普遍的蜱传疾病，随着俄亥俄州平均环境温度的升高，莱姆病变得更加普遍, which leads to increases in the state’s population of blacklegged (deer) ticks. 在过去的13年里，俄亥俄州报告的莱姆病病例增加了35倍, according to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). When left untreated, 蜱虫携带的莱姆病和其他疾病可能会导致严重的、改变生活的健康问题.

Ohio University Associate Clinical Professor Dr. 杰夫Vasiloff has done epidemiologic research 关于蜱传疾病，并认为公众对这些疾病的认识很重要, how to prevent them and when to seek treatment. Dr. Vasiloff is part of the Division of Physician Assistant Practice 在俄亥俄州的 College of Health Sciences and Professions.

Ticks are most often found in wooded, 灌木丛生的地区, but can be anywhere outside, and are most active during the spring and summer months. 许多房屋周围的土地也可以为蜱虫提供足够的栖息地, especially those near wooded areas or areas with tall grass. Dr. 瓦西洛夫说，任何在户外度过时间的人都有感染蜱传疾病的潜在风险.

Tickborne illnesses actually don’t originate from ticks, most are zoonoses—infections people get from animals. 蜱虫通过食用受感染的动物(主要是啮齿动物)而感染人畜共患疾病. These infections are often bacterial, protozoan or viral and different species of ticks carry different illnesses. In the case of 莱姆病, the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi invades and lives in the salivary glands of the blacklegged tick. Carrying the disease has no effect on the tiny arachnids, 但如果受感染的蜱虫叮咬了另一个人或动物，疾病可能会转移.

莱姆病是一种应报告的疾病，全国各地的卫生部门密切监测病例. 近年来气温升高导致黑腿蜱的数量增加, and more ticks mean more bites. In Ohio, cases of 莱姆病 are 报道 every month of the year, 但是当蜱虫在春末到仲夏最活跃的时候，人们面临的风险最大. 6月和7月是大多数俄亥俄州人被感染莱姆病的黑脚蜱叮咬的月份.

Vasiloff says there is no need to panic at the discovery of a tick bite. 那些被蜱虫咬过的人，即使蜱虫感染了，也不一定会生病.

“它们需要很长时间才能在你身上，吮吸你的血液来感染你，”瓦西洛夫说. “蜱虫把血液吸进自己的身体，所以细菌能从蜱虫身上出来是一个奇迹，因为它必须与血液的流动方向相反。. 这种情况通常不会发生，除非蜱虫已经吃了至少一天, some people even say two days.”

虽然这听起来令人安心，但每一次蜱虫叮咬都应该认真对待. 尽快去除附着的蜱虫是至关重要的，如下所述. Regardless of how long a tick was biting, 被蜱虫叮咬后，最好尽快咨询医疗保健专业人员，寻求可能的预防治疗. 

预防蜱传疾病的最佳方法是首先防止蜱叮咬. 在蜱虫栖息地穿长衣服并把它塞进去可以防止大多数叮咬，并使蜱虫留在衣服外面. Light-colored clothing will make ticks even easier to spot and brush off. 在任何暴露的皮肤、衣服和鞋子上喷洒标有防蜱剂也有助于赶走虫子. To further prevent bites, 瓦西洛夫鼓励每个人在完成户外活动后仔细检查自己的身体.

“If you inspect your body, you should be able to see most ticks,他说. “在你看不到的地方检查自己或你的伴侣是很重要的. You can't see your back, but someone else can.”

Ticks on the skin that haven’t bitten can easily be brushed off. If a tick has bitten and attached itself, it is best to remove it as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infection. Removal is a simple process that can be done at home or urgent care. 只需用镊子尽可能靠近皮肤抓住蜱虫，然后用稳定均匀的压力将其从皮肤上拉出, ensuring the tick’s head is completely removed. After it is removed, wash the bite area with soap and water.

Diagnosing and treating 莱姆病, 以及任何蜱传疾病早期是重要的，以避免进一步的健康问题. With 莱姆病, 从蜱虫叮咬开始，可能需要3到30天的时间才能出现症状或体征, according to the Ohio Department of Health. 大多数症状并不是莱姆病特有的，因此不被怀疑是莱姆病.  

莱姆病 symptoms may include:

• 头疼
• 发热
• 发冷
• 肌肉疼痛
• 关节疼痛
• 乏力
• Loss of appetite

Most tickborne illnesses will cause any one or more of these symptoms, but the key indicator of 莱姆病 is a large, distinctive “bull’s eye” rash called erythema migrans. 瓦西洛夫说，知道一个人患有牛眼疹，并在户外呆了一段时间，通常就足以诊断出莱姆病.

“If you ever have any of the symptoms and you're somebody who goes outdoors, you should definitely report to your physician assistant, doctor or nurse practitioner,他说. “有点幸运的是，90%的人会在蜱虫叮咬的地方出疹子. 这和小的咬伤不同，这是一个扩散的大疹子.”

如果早期诊断，莱姆病很容易用强力霉素等抗生素治疗. Most people completely recover after being treated. 如果有人不知道自己被咬了，治疗可能会变得更加复杂. According to Vasiloff, tick bites aren’t always noticeable and may be missed. For this reason, 对于那些花很多时间在户外的人来说，如果有任何莱姆病症状或皮疹变得明显，积极主动地寻求医疗专业人士的帮助是很重要的.

“You may get a tick bite and then it’s been on you for a couple of days, and you don’t even notice it,他说. “And sometimes you can have a tick bite on you, be on you for a few days and it falls off and you never know.”

在极少数情况下，那些患有莱姆病的人在治疗后会继续出现症状. 大约5%到10%的人会在治疗后患上莱姆病综合征 Centers for Disease Control and 预防. 这些长期的症状通常包括疲劳、身体疼痛或思维困难. 在大多数情况下，症状会随着时间的推移而改善，但仍可能造成相当大的痛苦. Post-Lyme is being extensively researched, but the cause is currently unknown.

Vaslioff说:“我们找不到证据表明细菌生活在它们体内并仍然造成损害。. “但莱姆病被消灭后发生了一些事情，让这些人患上了这种严重的疾病."