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How common is Lyme disease?
About 15,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year in the United States. Most of these cases come from Atlantic coast states, from northern Virginia up to Massachusetts.
The incidence of Lyme disease in Loudoun County is about 20 times greater than that of the Virginia average. This is most likely due to: -
the preservation of our county’s rural nature and woodlands; -
our increasing population, which allows more people to come in contact with ticks, particularly on their own property; -
a well-trained medical community that appropriately diagnoses early Lyme disease; and -
well-educated residents who know to see a doctor if they have an unusual rash or had a deer tick attached to them for more than 30 hours. | 
Lyme Disease Risk Map
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| State or County | Incidence* | | Connecticut | 54.2 | | Rhode Island | 37.5 | | Loudoun | 36.0 | | New Jersey | 16.9 | | Delaware | 14.0 | | Maryland | 6.8 | | Virginia | 2.1 | * Incidence is the number of new cases diagnosed each year per 100,000 population. What are the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease? | 
Bull's eye rash
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| In most people, the first evidence of Lyme disease infection occurs within 3 to 32 days (usually within 1 to 2 weeks) after being bitten by an infected tick and consists of a “bulls eye” skin rash at the site of the tick bite or developing such flu-like symptoms as fatigue, fever, headache, stiff neck, muscle or joint pain. The “bulls eye” rash, called erythema migrans (EM), is red and slowly gets bigger, usually with a clearing in the center; it is not painful and does not itch. Up to about 70% of people infected with Lyme disease will notice this type of rash. | Both the rash and flu-like symptoms may last up to several weeks and will go away with or without treatment. If the early infection is not treated, though, weeks to months after the tick bite other problems may develop such as nervous disorders, heart problems, or joint swelling and pain. What is the treatment for Lyme disease? Antibiotics are very successful in treating early Lyme disease. Treatment of the EM stage usually lasts for 21 to 30 days. Treatment of later stages of disease may take longer. How can Lyme disease be prevented? There is currently no Lyme disease vaccine available for people. The best way to prevent getting Lyme disease is to reduce your chances of getting bitten by a tick and making sure that no tick is attached for more than a day. Steps you can take include: -
Avoid tick-infested areas, such as tall grasses, whenever feasible. -
When this is not possible, wear light-colored clothing with long sleeves and long pants and tuck pants into socks. -
Clothes may be pretreated with a tick repellent called permethrin. Other tick repellents are available for treating the skin. Be sure to follow label instructions before using any repellent. The University of Arizona has prepared a useful publication on insect repellents, which is online: -
Do a tick check at least once a day. Remove any attached ticks promptly and carefully by gripping the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and using a gentle steady pulling action. Protect hands with gloves, cloth or tissue when removing ticks from people or animals. -
Keep ticks off your property by controlling deer and mouse populations - making your property less tick friendly - and considering annual pesticide application. More information on tick proofing your property is available in the Tick Management Handbook . What should I do if I think I have Lyme disease? You should contact your doctor if you have an unusual rash, other signs or symptoms of Lyme disease, or if you believe that you have had a black-legged tick attached to you for more than 30 hours.
The Health Department does not recommend having ticks tested for infection with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Other Tick-borne Diseases Spring and summer bring warm temperatures, just right for walking in the woods and other outdoor activities. Warm weather also means that ticks become active, and this can lead to the transmission of tick-borne disease. The tick-borne diseases most often found in Virginia are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis. 
American Dog Tick
In the Northeast, the "deer" tick (Ixodes dammini) may transmit Lyme disease. The deer tick is quite a bit smaller than the American Dog tick, and usually has a two-toned body with no patterning on the back. In comparison, the deer tick also has larger mouth parts than the dog tick. Source of photos: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Other Resources |