How to prevent against Ticks and Lyme Disease

Here in the Northland, we are familiar with Lyme Disease and the Ticks that cause it. But with the recent report coming from the CDC about locally transmitted malaria diseases in America for the first time in twenty years, should we be worried?

This is because malaria is a sever parasitic infection facilitated by mosquitoes and we in the Northland are in our annual mosquito season.

“The only reason we in the Northland would see a case of malaria, would be due to travel. I’m not worried about it coming to the Northland because the main most severe type of parasite that causes severe malaria cannot complete its lifecycle below 68 degrees Fahrenheit.” Said Dr. Dylan Wyatt of St. Luke’s Hospital.

So, while we do have the specific type of mosquito species that can carry malaria up here in the Northland our climate naturally causes us to be very resistant to malaria.

Dr. Dylan said if we are getting malaria up here, the rest of the U.S. would be a disaster zone because for that to happen here, it means temperatures are far above normal across the country.

Even though we are pretty much fortified against malaria, one parasite that is endemic here are Ticks which causes Lyme Disease.

We have one of the highest concentrations of ticks and tick-borne disease in the U.S. because of our gorgeous wilderness area.

“You can completely avoid Lyme disease if you are able to get the tick off your body soon enough. It takes a prolonged period, close to 24 hours to transmit disease. So, every time you go outside before you and your kids go to bed, you must strip down entirely and check the whole body out in front of a mirror or have another family member check you and other family members for ticks.”

Dr. Dylan said you should see your doctor if you have any of these Lyme Disease symptoms which can include body aches, fever, and odd rashes. He also stated that malaria is not a concern for us at this time but could maybe be a slight risk if travelling down south.