More Harmful than Lyme, New Tick Virus Powassan is on the Move
Ticks are small arachnids that feed on the warm-blood of animals, such as dogs, cats, deer, and mice. They also feed on the blood of humans. The tick will attach itself to the skin and dig into it with its feeding apparatus.
Once the tick has eaten enough blood, it will swell in size and then fall off of its host. It will then repeat the feeding process again at a later time.
Westchester County, NY, is just one of the many places where there is tick activity. Ticks found here may carry all sorts of diseases, including Lyme disease. It is the most common disease transmitted by the black-legged tick, or also known as the deer tick, in the northeastern U.S.
But as the tick population is growing, so are the other tick-borne diseases carried by these tiny critters. Not only Lyme, the same deer tick can carry another virus called Powassan, a virus that can cause serious side effects with no cure.
According to a leading doctor from the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society, the only thing a doctor can do to treat this illness is making the patient comfortable in hopes that they will eventually be able to survive its effects.
The Powassan virus begins with symptoms that are similar to West Nile Virus, and to the symptoms experienced by someone with Lyme disease, except it is more painful and more severe. Powassan virus can cause brain swelling and in the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, or meningitis.
How Powassan Virus Spread
Researchers have found that most of these diseases tend to spread in the Northeast, between Maine and Virginia, western New York, western Pennsylvania and the Upper Midwest.
Powassan virus spreads from ticks to people a long way much faster than Lyme disease.
Studies show that Powassan may be contracted after only 15 minutes of a tick being attached to our body, while we can only get Lyme disease after a tick being attached for more than 36 hours.
The infected person might experience seizures, a high fever, and chills along with a stiff neck. They also may experience vomit, dizziness, and disorientation. People with weak immune systems — like the elderly — are more susceptible. Although the Powassan infection is usually mild, it can be lethal, and in severe cases, some symptoms, like weakness and memory problems, can be lasting.
If you have any of these symptoms, especially when it’s not in flu season (May to July when tick bites typically occur), you might have been exposed to ticks. It’s critical to visit your doctor or call 911 when severe symptoms happen.
Tips to Avoid Powassan Infection & Other Tick-Borne Diseases
- Stay out of wooded or grassy areas whenever you can.
- If you’re in wooded areas or landscaping, wear long pants and long sleeve shirts to protect yourself.
- When you are in the woods, spray all areas of your bare skin with an insect repellent.
- When you come back inside, make a self-evaluation of your whole body (including your scalp) for ticks.
- Take a bath or shower to find and wash off any ticks on your skin.
Controlling and Exterminating Ticks in Westchester County, NY
You might not realize it but ticks are one of the most common pests found in homes in New York and other parts of the U.S. While homeowners try to eliminate them from their homes, they are not always successful in doing so. No one wants these pests around because they are also a health risk.
We use environmentally safe products when we are trying to reduce and eliminate the tick population in and around your home. At Westchester County Pest Control we treat those areas of your home and property that are most susceptible to ticks. Our exterminators offer homeowners recommendations on how to control and eliminate the problem through regular treatments.
Homeowners can aid in keeping ticks away by cutting overgrown shrubbery, cutting their grass often, and removing leaves. While allowing us to do our job and the homeowner doing what they can on their end, they are assured of minimizing their tick problem.
It is recommended that several treatments be administered in a very strategic manner. Statistics from the CDC (Center for Disease Control & Prevention) show that cases of Lyme disease are traced to the presence of ticks. New York happens to be one of the areas that receive the most reported cases of Lyme disease. We use safe, organic pest control treatments to reduce the tick population in or around your property.
Real estate agents, property managers, and homeowners have been relying on the services of Westchester County Pest Control for many years. We are conveniently located in Westchester County and have been here for many years, providing our customers with the most reliable and efficient pest control services possible. We always use the safest products offered when treating your tick problem.***