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Infectious Diseases Lyme Disease

Fight the Bite: Tips for Preventing Lyme Disease

Summary & Participants

Lyme disease -- an infection which can lead to arthritis and other more serious complications -- is spread by tiny deer ticks commonly found in the northeastern U.S. What can you do to keep these bugs at bay? Join our panel of experts to learn what you should do to stay safe.

Medically Reviewed On: June 24, 2008

Webcast Transcript

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Welcome to our webcast. I'm David Folk Thomas. Our topic is Lyme disease, and specifically, how you can prevent getting this disease. Most of us know it's spread by ticks -- actually, deer ticks -- and we're going to tell you what you need to do to avoid getting this disease.

Joining me are a couple of experts. On my left is Dr. Alex McMeeking. He's an assistant professor of medicine at NYU Medical Center. Next to Alex is Dr. Brent Wise. He's a clinical instructor of medicine, also at NYU Medical Center here in New York City. Gentlemen, doctors, thanks for joining me.

Alex, let me start with you. What is the most important thing you can do to prevent getting exposed to Lyme disease?

ALEX McMEEKING, MD: In spring and summer months, when Lyme season occurs, you want to make sure you avoid getting exposed to ticks. One way to do that is to, as much as possible, stay out of wooded areas with long grass, things like that; if you are in these areas, to wear long pants; when you do get back to your home, to check and make sure that you haven't got any ticks on you, because they can be very small and relatively difficult to detect.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Let's take a look. We've got a lineup of ticks. Actually, one tick. Now, what is that? That's a tick. That's not life-size, there, is it?

ALEX McMEEKING, MD: No, no. It's much smaller than that. This is the so-called nymph form of the deer tick which carries most Lyme disease That would be roughly the size of a sesame seed, and by far and away is the form of the tick that carries most of the Lyme bacteria.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Brent, these ticks can be anywhere, or do they live specifically in certain regions or in trees or on bushes? Where do you have to look out for them?

BRENT WISE, MD: Generally, they live in wooded areas, though people who play golf or retrieve a golf ball from even tall grass are certainly at risk. Even though it is the deer tick, they can be on household pets, so if you have pets that go out into the woods or even outside and you live in an endemic area, the pet can have ticks on them, and they could be transferred to the human host. They also are, just in general, in fields and grass. They have even been in Central Park.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: Do they live low to the ground? I've heard wear socks. I always thought they sometimes would drop out of a tree, like they'd see you coming and they'd fall down.

BRENT WISE, MD: No. Usually you come into contact with them, and they transfer from the grass or from the plant that they're on to your skin when you touch the grass or plant.

DAVID FOLK THOMAS: So then, Alex, what about repellants? Should you be loading up with that before you go outdoors?

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