News from the Board of Health

Watch out for ticks!

Ticks can transmit diseases to humans when they bite; the longer a tick remains attached to the skin, the higher the likelihood that it may spread bacteria that cause tick-borne illnesses.

In 2023, over 250 ticks from Franklin County were tested for tick borne illness. Lyme disease was found in ticks from 65% of Franklin County towns. Although only deer ticks (aka black-legged ticks) can transmit Lyme, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis, other ticks should be avoided because they can transmit less-common diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.

Luckily, there are many actions we can take to prevent tick-borne diseases:

When outdoors, stick to hiking trails, wear light-colored clothing (to see ticks) and tuck in loose ends.
Brush your clothing off with your hands or a lint roller before coming inside to reduce what you carry indoors.
Showering within two hours can help wash off ticks before they embed and bite. Use a washcloth and do a good “tick scrub.”
Make a habit of checking yourself, your children, and pets for ticks after coming inside. Think like a tick: ticks often hitch a ride after physical contact with brushy plants—start by checking feet, ankles, legs and groin, then work your way upwards.
Use tick repellents. DEET, picardin, oil of lemon eucalyptus can be used on skin. Used as directed. Pre-treat clothing, including socks and shoes, with permethrin (not to be put on skin). Permethrin is invisible, odorless and stays effective in fabric through many washings. Using skin and clothing repellents together is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Defense (DOD).

Want to identify a tick? Send a photo to Tick Encounter (tickencounter.org), to learn about the tick and your risk level. You’ll hear from a tick expert in about 24 hours when using this free service, run through the University of Rhode Island.

For more information on tick safety and prevention, see:

MA DPH: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/tick-borne-disease-prevention

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/index.html

Visit the Conway Board of Health table at Conway Grammar School’s “Spring Fling” on May 4th! We’ll have informational handouts, tick identification cards, tick removal tools and more for you to take home!

Information from the Conway BOH is focused on our shared public health. Please consult your healthcare provider for your personal healthcare guidance.

Posted: to Board of Health on Thu, Apr 17, 2025
Updated: Thu, Apr 17, 2025