Community Magazine June 2021

32 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Did you know that New Jersey has been identified as one of the top three states in the country for Lyme disease, tick-borne illnesses, and the expanding tick population? As we spend more time outside, so do insects and ticks. Ticks are small bloodsucking parasites that spread pathogens carrying infectious vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Zika, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Humans, pets, and livestock can all become victims of these terrible illnesses. If not detected early on, they can develop into chronic conditions. Sherryl Bouganim, (formerly Sherryl Betesh), an active member of our New Jersey community, is committed to ensuring we are educated and armed with the knowledge and resources to protect our community members from these potential issues. She is fiercely proactive in spreading information about potential dangers that can adversely impact our residents’ health and home environment. Sherryl has identified two problems that have become “increasingly uncomfortable and dangerous.” 1. The physical illnesses resulting from Lyme disease and ticks. 2. Deer infestation - the expanding, severely out-of-balance deer population. We should all take these problems seriously. The severity of ticks and resulting diseases have been documented by authoritative research. Ticks A 2019 Rutgers University research team identified eleven tick species living in New Jersey. The study resulted in a standardized tick surveillance program, which assesses reported positive results for Lyme Disease from bloodwork. In 2017 the first sighting of an exotic Asian tick, known as the longhorned tick, was right in New Jersey. It is one of two invasive species spreading around NJ which appear on white-tailed deer. The longhorned tick is similar in size to deer ticks and can go undetected on animals and humans, although they have not been confirmed as an immediate threat to people. New Jersey already has one of the highest burdens of Lyme disease in the nation and its incidence rate of cases per population remains far above the U.S. rate. Professor Thomas Mather, a University of Rhode Island entomologist known as "The Tick Guy," refers to the tick issue as a “hidden threat.” “Bloodsucking ticks that carry an array of diseases hitch rides on deer as the mammals multiply across the country, popping up in forests, parks, and even our front lawns. The phenomena of deer in more places and in ever-increasing proximity to people is, I think, the largest New Jersey's Growing Tick-borne Illnesses and Deer Infestation How to Protect Yourself from Ticks Use a chemical repellant with DEET, permethrin, or picaridin. Natural versions are also available. Wear light-colored protective clothing that covers your arms and legs. Tuck pant legs into socks. Avoid tick-infested areas. When you are in the woods, keep to the center of the trail: ticks tend to stay in shrubs and bushes. Check yourself, your kids, and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks. Comb your hair carefully with a fine-tooth comb and check folds of the skin. Showering and washing your clothes in hot water ensures ticks will be killed. ELLEN GELLER KAMARAS