Beware of Lyme Ticks: Spirochete Peaks in June, July, August
Robert Latkany, MDPicture by André Karwath
May 29, 2009
Sometimes big things come in small packages. In this case, this is one summertime package you’ll wish you’d never received. That tiny gift? It’s Borrelia Burgdorferi a spirochete that is transmitted through a tick bite that may result in Lyme Disease, the most common vector-borne disease in the United States.
Unfortunately, the target-shaped red rash version of Lyme Disease, called erythema chronicum migrans, typically presents in the summer months of June and July; Bacon et al found 65% of patients presented with their illness in the summer. Fulop and colleague evaluated the incidence in Germany and found 70% of the cases occurred between June and September. An analysis of Delaware Lyme Disease Surveillance data by Kudish et al determined the majority of nearly 1000 cases that occurred between the years 2000 and 2004 were in June, July and August.
A Maryland summer camp survey revealed 200 out of 538 campers found ticks on their skin, and 11% of these ticks were infected with Borrelia Burgdorferi according to Sarwari et al. The campers were at greater risk if they participated in camp-out events and night trips.
So, if your kids are off to camp this summer make sure they’re aware that tick risks increase after the overnights that are nearly always part of the camp experience.
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