Lyme disease is more common closer to home

Though tucking your pant legs into your socks may not be the most stylish thing to do while camping this summer, this fashion faux-pas is nonetheless recommended by Tom Gahan, supervisor of the State Hygienic Laboratory's serology section.

According to Gahan, the Ixodes scapularis tick, the vector of Lyme disease, has been slowly expanding its range into Iowa, especially along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

"Early on, most Iowans would contract Lyme disease after traveling to endemic areas such as Wisconsin or Minnesota," Gahan said. "However, in recent years, more and more cases are found to be acquired locally while Iowans are out-of-doors in the state." In 1989, the State Hygienic Laboratory's serology section, which performs blood testing for the illness, confirmed 27 cases of Lyme disease in Iowa. Last year, there were 78.

"Some recent cases come to mind when people were camping, fishing, or mushroom hunting in Iowa who developed symptoms of the disease without ever leaving the state," Gahan said.

Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in North America, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks beginning in the late spring and early summer. A bull's eye rash and the flu-like symptoms of fever, headache, and fatigue are early indicators of infection. If left untreated, symptoms may involve the joints, heart and central nervous system.

The best defense against Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by infected ticks, according to Gahan.

In addition to tucking your pant legs into your socks, wearing light colored clothing and long sleeves may help prevent tick bites. Insect repellents, especially those containing DEET, picaridin or permethrin, also provide protection. Plant-based alternatives to chemical repellents should contain oil of lemon eucalyptus as the active ingredient.

Gahan also suggested performing routine checks on people and pets to look for ticks on skin, hair, or clothing after returning from outdoor activities, especially at dawn and dusk, when the

Ixodes scapularis is most active.