Time Tick-ing 1

Running head: TIME TICK-ING

Time Tick-ing

Rochelle Granados

California State University, San Bernardino

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Many people are not aware that a small creature such as a tick can potentially cause

diseases. Comparatively, to their size they can harm humans if they don’t have the knowledge on

how to take preventative measures. Lyme disease is the most frequently occurring vector-borne

illness in the United States (Johnco, Kugler, Murphy, and Storch, 2018). Lyme disease is not

deadly if treated correctly but can affect an individual’s health. There are about 30,000 cases of

Lyme disease each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This paper

will focus on Lyme disease regarding the health outcomes it can have on a human and will

describe the urgency of being proactive to prevent Lyme disease.

History

Lyme disease was first referred to as “Lyme arthritis” and first appeared in Old Lyme,

Connecticut in 1977 (www.historyofvaccines.org). There was a vaccine against that prevented

Lyme disease however it did not appear to be effective. It was developed by SmithKline

Beecham and consisted of a three-dose series. The history of vaccines website states that the

vaccine was 78% effective and functioned by “…stimulated antibodies that attacked the Lyme

bacteria in the tick’s gut as it fed on the human host…”(www.historyofvaccines.org). This

vaccine would prevent the bacteria from being able to enter the body. The name of the vaccine

was LYMERix and removed from being used in 2002. According the CDC it was removed

because there was not enough demand to keep manufacturing the vaccine. For people that had

actually received the LYMERix vaccine before being removed from the market in 2002 it may

no longer prevent them from obtaining Lyme disease today, it recedes from the body overtime.

Disease

Lyme disease is caused by a causative agent bacterium Borrelia Burgdorfferi and

transmitted through a vector to humans. An infected blacklegged tick may bite a human
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potentially causing them to have symptoms such as fatigue, skin rash, fever, and headaches. In

order for transmission to occur, the tick attaches to the human for approximately 24-36 hours

(Alao and Decker, 2012). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

ticks can attach anywhere in the human body, after being attached for 36-48 hours the bacterium

is transmitted. The bite is painless so many people do not realize they have been bitten. The CDC

has compared ticks to the size of poppy seeds and they can be attached to a human for several

days. It is essential to be knowledgeable about this vector, how to prevent it, and how to treat it if

a tick were to come into contact with an individual.

Vector

The Blacklegged tick is also known as Ixodes Scapularis, it has three different life stages:

adult female and male, nymph, and larva. In most cases humans are infected by nymphs, which

are less than 2 mm according to the CDC. This does not necessary mean that all ticks are

infected however it is best to take precaution. Nymph’s optimal time for to bite is during the

spring and summer seasons. Adult ticks may also infect humans with Lyme disease but are more

visible to the eye. Adult ticks prime season is cooler seasons compared to Nymphs. They can be

very small to see that is why it is important to be vigilant places that ticks can be present.

Location

Lyme disease is commonly found in the United States of America and Europe. However

it has been found in every continent excluding Antarctica (www.lymedisease.org). It can be

found in the Northeast, upper Midwest and Northwest coast. Ticks tend to crawl to humans by

climbing to the tips of grasses and holding on with their lower legs. Once the host passes by the

tick climbs onto the host with its upper legs. Once on the host, the tick finds its preferable place

to be attached to and over several hours it bites the host. In 2015 Lyme disease was reported in
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Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New

Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In these

states Lyme disease is commonly found however the CDC described that when a case is

reported, it is reported in the state where the person lives not from where the person was infected

by the tick. This can definitely hinder the data of reported cases of Lyme disease.

Diagnoses of Lyme disease

An individual may present a few signs and symptoms that can determine if they have Lyme

disease. Symptoms and signs must be taken seriously for proper diagnosis and effective

treatment. However, it is common to misdiagnose with other diseases. It can be misdiagnosed

with chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and various

psychiatric illnesses (lymedisease.org). First early signs can show up within three to thirty days,

the infected area may feel warm but may not itch or cause pain (CDC). There are three stages in

regarding to Lyme disease and could occur different for everybody. After being infected by

Lyme disease a skin lesion occurs and it is referred as Erythema Migrans, which appears as a red

circle as a bull’s eye. The second stage is may cause symptoms such as fever, sore throat, muscle

ache, and headache. Finally in the third stage it becomes into a chronic joint pain eventually

leading to Lyme Arthritis. The bacteria can also cause facial palsy and swollen knee if Lyme

disease is left untreated, it is important to go to the doctor if there are any concerns they may

have been infected by a tick.

A study was conducted to examine the association between obsessive-compulsive

syndrome (OCS) and Lyme disease and resulted in twenty-six percent of participants having an

onset of OCS after being diagnosed with Lyme disease. While fifty-one percent believed that

their OCS was temporally related to Lyme disease (Johno, Kugler, Murphy, and Storch 2018).
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Lyme disease can also lead to long-term effects impacting the nervous system. There are about

15-40 percent of patients that get neurological symptoms that range from memory loss, bipolar

disorder, hallucinations, and other neuropsychiatric symptoms were common (Johno, Kugler,

Murphy, and Storch 2018). This study demonstrates that treatment is critical because Lyme

disease can be detrimental to a person’s well being.

Treatment

Lyme disease is becoming more recognizable to medical profession because of the increase

of cases every year. There is not a test that can detect if a person has Lyme disease. If a person

gets bite by a tick and transmits the bacterium in the body it can be treated with antibiotics.

However if a person gets bite from an infected tick and is left untreated it can cause damage to

the heart, nervous system, and joints (CDC). The antibiotics drugs used to get rid of the

bacterium from the adult body are doxycycline, cefuroxime axetil, and amoxicillin. The

antibiotics used for children are amoxicillin, doxycycline, and cefuroxime axetil. The earlier a

person gets treated, the more successful it can because they will be able to recover more quickly.

There are unlikely cases that people may experience fatigue and muscle pain symptoms, which

last up to six months or more (NIH).

Vector Control

Eliminating vectors and breeding grounds can control vector borne disease. Insecticides are

also applied to control the insect vector of diseases. Vector control includes any methods that

eradicate insects that transmit infectious diseases. A major part of CDC’s ongoing work is

disease tracking, laboratory studies, education, and technical assistance and response (CDC).

Some of the reasons for these new and strong outbreaks include resistance to drugs and

insecticides.
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Prevention

Understanding of disease vectors is essential to avoid the risk of disease. Wearing covering

garments, boots, hats, and long sleeve also help, as does using insect repellent (CDC). We will

likely never be rid of vector-borne diseases, but there are ways to reduce risk. Vector-borne

diseases are especially difficult to predict, prevent or control. Only a few have vaccines.

Mosquitoes and ticks are notoriously difficult to reach and often develop resistance to

insecticides. Adding to the complexity, almost all vector-borne pathogens are zoonosis, meaning

they can live in animals as well as in humans. It is essential to strengthen the epidemiological

research and communication among the public health community to target vector-borne diseases

at a community level. Monitor blood transfusions cautiously to prevent the transmissions of

ongoing diseases. Lastly promoting health care, blood tests, and health screenings early can

decrease the spreading of diseases.

In addition some more actions that can avoid the ticks from a person’s yard is to make sure

the lawn is trimmed to avoid tall grass near the home. Also, the wood the wood that is kept

outside, make sure it is organized and off the ground to reduce ticks from climbing up. Ensure

that there isn’t any water gathered on the floor to not attract animals that can potentially carry

ticks into the yard. Using an insecticide around the property to prevent the amount of ticks that

can be around the house.

Recommendations

Be aware of ticks all year around especially during the warmer months. It is recommended

to stay far from wooded and high grass areas because that is where ticks are more likely to be.

However, if present in these areas it is important to use clothing that covers the entire body such

as long sleeve shirts, pants, and a hat. Make sure to stay on trail when hiking near these areas
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because it has been traveled on where long grass is not present. After being outdoors be cautious

and check the body for any ticks on the skin because they can be removed before it infects the

person. Checking areas that can be difficult to see such as the belly button, in the ears, groin area,

and in the hair. Other action that someone can take to avoid being infected by a tick is to shower

as soon as possible after being outdoors where ticks are prevalent.

The CDC recommends proper removal if a tick be found attached to the skin it is critical to

remove it immediately and properly. Tweezers can be used to grip the tick since it can be very

small. Then pull the tick in an upward direction in order to remove the tick fully intact. Once the

tick has been removed clean the area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Make sure to

properly dispose it by flushing it down the toilet or inserting in a sealed container but should

never be compressed with the hands.

Another preventative measure includes the use of repellent “that contains 20 percent or

more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours”

(www.cdc.gov). There different types of repellent therefore the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has an online feature to find the best repellant for your or your family’s need.

Public Health Standpoint

Vector-borne disease is a global battle in which the public needs to address. It is essential

for humans to learn how to take preventive measures in order to reduce this emerging issue,

taking control of the diseases would improve human health. Most importantly physicians require

the proper training in order to diagnose, treat, and prevent these diseases from occurring. It is

also my responsibility to influence people around me to take action towards minimizing the

consequences against these vector-borne diseases. Lyme disease is preventable through informed

protected measures as well as a better understanding of their biology.

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Summary

Lyme disease is completely preventable and can be found anywhere in the United States.

Since it is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States, it is important to bring

awareness to this issue because there are many people that do not know the negative impacts that

an infected tick can do them. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention has brought

awareness through a powerful platform in modern time: social media. The CDC posted a picture

of a muffin that was covered with poppy seeds. Besides the poppy seeds, there were 5 ticks on it.

The CDC explained that ticks are the size of poppy seeds and to identify where the ticks were

located. The post caused controversy however it brought awareness and attention to the situation

of how it is not easy or visible to see a tick because of how small they can be. With this in mind,

there are actions that people can do to reduce their chance of having ticks near their home or

reduce the risk of coming into contact with an infected tick.

The bacteria that is spread through the blacklegged tick can

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References

Mosquito & Vector Control. (n.d.). Retrieved May 23, 2017, from

http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/programs/ehs/mosquito-vector-control/
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Vector-borne diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved May 20, 2017, from

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs387/en/

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD). (2016, April 02). Retrieved May 20, 2017, from

https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/

https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/about-lyme/

Johnco, Kugler, Murphy, & Storch. (2018). Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adults with Lyme
disease. General Hospital Psychiatry, 51, 85-89.

The History of the Lyme disease Vaccine. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/history-lyme-disease-vaccine
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References

Anderson, Charles & Johnson (2003). The impressive psychology paper. Chicago: Lucerne

Publishing.

Smith, M. (2001). Writing a successful paper. The Trey Research Monthly, 53, 149-150.

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