Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention offers tips to prevent Lyme Disease and other Illnesses

Officials from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) have outlined a series of steps Mainers can take to reduce the chance of ticks and mosquito bites and prevent Lyme Disease, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), and the West Nile Virus. Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection that is transmitted through tick bites, is on the rise in Maine. EEE and the West Nile Virus are mosquito-borne infections. Since mosquito and tick season has arrived, now is the time to take precautions. The CDC advocates three basic ways to minimize exposure: 1) Clean up unnecessary standing water, rain gutters, leaf litter, brush, and logs in order to reduce tick and mosquito habitats around the yard; 2) Cover up with a long-sleeve shirt and pants, and/or appropriately use a DEET-containing insect repellent or other EPA-registered repellent to reduce the chances of being bitten by ticks and mosquitoes; 3) Check your skin and your children's skin daily for ticks after being outside. It is very important to enjoy the outdoors and by taking these steps, you can minimize your risk of contracting these diseases. For more information, visit the Maine CDC website on EEE and the West Nile Virus at www.maine.gov/hhs/boh/ddc/arbovirus/index.htm and the Maine CDC website on Lyme Disease at http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/ddc/epi/vector-borne/lyme/. an email from Representative David Cotta, House District 55