Increase in Lyme disease feared. How to defend yourself

Headache, fever, fatigue and depression. What a set of symptoms to spoil and RV trip. Yet those are just the initial symptoms of Lyme disease, a nasty infection spread to humans through the bite of an infected tick. Health experts warn that a warm winter and a decrease in the rodent population may make this year one of the worst for the risk of getting Lyme disease. You can protect yourself by following simple precautions.

Keeping ticks away is your first line of defense. Ticks aren't hanging out in the middle of the lawn, they prefer shaded areas, particularly in the woods where leaves make for higher levels of humidity. When you walk in the woods, your exposure to ticks increases dramatically. That doesn't mean you have to swear off walks in the woods.

Tick repellent clothing is available, and so are EPA registered repellents you can put on before hiking or walking. But even your choice of non-treated clothes can make a difference. Wear a hat, long-sleeved shirts, and skip the shorts--wearing long pants tucked into your socks will make less skin area available to those hungry ticks. Light colored clothing will make ticks visibly stand out--hopefully before they can get a bite. And watch out for your pets--they can can bring ticks into your RV or your house. Appropriate pest-repelling collars can help.

After a walk in an area where ticks hang out, it's best to look yourself over and maybe have help in doing so. If you find a tick has attached itself, remove it as quickly as you can. Here's how the Centers for Disease Control recommend evicting one of these unwanted insects:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.

2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

If you're concerned the tick may have Lyme disease, here's what to watch for: A rash or fever that develops within several weeks after the tick bite. The rash from Lyme disease often has a peculiar "bullseye" formation. If any of these symptoms occur, check with you doctor, be sure to tell him about the bite, when it happened, and where you were geographically located when the tick got a hold of you. This latter information is important as some areas of the US are more prone to Lyme disease than others--simply being bitten by a tick doesn't mean you'll get Lyme disease, the tick may not have the disease.

Don't let the fear of Lyme disease frighten you away from enjoying the RV lifestyle. Take simple precautions and keep your eyes open and you'll find the great outdoors are still great.

Photo: Deer tick, US Department of Agriculture.