Here’s what to know about Lyme disease, DeKalb County Health Department says

DeKalb County public health officials released information this week regarding how the community can learn to protect themselves from ticks and Lyme disease, part of their “Fight the Bite” campaign for Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

Lyme disease is an infection that individuals can get from the bite of infected ticks, and it is the most common vector-borne illness in the U.S., with more than 500,000 people diagnosed and treated each year, according to a news release sent Friday from the DeKalb County Health Department.

The most important thing people can do to “fight the bite” is to diligently check themselves, their pets and their children for ticks after spending time in areas where ticks live, such as in and near wooded areas, tall grass and brush. Removing ticks within a 24-hour period reduces the risk of potential disease transmission.

To learn how to help fight the bite, the Illinois Department of Public Health created a fact sheet and Tick Defense Knowledge Check crossword puzzle to learn about how to protect yourself and loved ones from tick-borne illnesses. The IDPH also partnered with the Illinois Natural History Survey to launch an interactive Tick Surveillance Map that documents the counties in Illinois where different tick species have been confirmed as well as the diseases they may carry.

Below are additional tips for how to avoid tick-borne illnesses:

• Avoid wooded, bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails.
• Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to find. Tuck long pants into socks and boots.
• Apply an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent containing 20% DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or lemon eucalyptus oil according to label directions.
• Conduct full-body tick checks on family members (underarms, ears, belly button, behind knees, between legs, waist, hair and scalp) every two to three hours. Also check any gear or pets taken on outings.
• Put your clothes in the dryer on high for 10 minutes (or one hour for damp clothes) to kill ticks.
• Bathe or shower within two hours after returning indoors.

Learn about tick removal and symptom awareness on IDPH’s website.

For information about DeKalb County Health Department services, visit its website.