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WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Old Colony Memorial - 6/10/2017

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Tick season is here. And ticks local to the northeast are among the most dangerous to humans.

Checking dogs, cats and family members for ticks helps to prevent the spread of tick-borne illnesses. Lyme disease still tops the list of these. Look out for a rash that sometimes appears as a bull's-eye pattern. Early symptoms include flu-like symptoms with fever, chills, body aches and heachache. If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause joint paint, neurological issues like meningitis, temporary paralysis, numbness or weakness of limbs and impaired muscle movements.

Deer ticks can also carry a potentially deadly virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, POW virus can infect the central nervous system and cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.) Signs and symptoms of POW infection can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss. Long-term neurologic problems may occur. There is no specific treatment, but people with severe POW virus illnesses often need to be hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or medications to reduce swelling in the brain The bottom line - check yourself and your pets for ticks.

Think you've been bitten by a tick and notice some of these signs? Call a doctor immediately.

Several cases of Lyme disease have already been reported in Plymouth.