The blacklegged tick, more commonly known as the deer tick, and sometimes called the bear tick, is a troublesome pest to encounter says New Jersey pest control professionals. Lyme disease can be transmitted by the bite of a deer tick to both humans and animals. It is a potentially serious bacterial infection, which is typically contracted when ticks are most active during the spring through July months and then again in the autumn months.
Deer ticks can also carry a potentially life-threatening parasite that is capable of causing a malaria-like illness according to a report from a September 7, 2011 article in USA Today. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently discovered that the babesia parasite, which is carried by deer ticks, can be transmitted to humans through blood transfusions. According to their report…”Doctors are especially concerned because it appears that the risk of transfusion-associated babesia infection may be increasing. Cases are occurring year-round and have been seen in states where ticks that carry babesia are not endemic.” Currently, there are no FDA approved tests available that will check for the parasite in blood supplies, so for the time being, blood donors are being asked a series of questions to see if they are at risk of having the parasite. New Jersey and New York were two of the seven states where the bulk of the cases of babesia-infected ticks are most commonly found.
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Deer ticks like brushy areas that provide cover and food sources for deer, mice and other mammals. Ticks search for their host from the tips of low lying vegetation and shrubs. They then crawl aboard their host and climb upwards until they find a suitable spot to feed. You can reduce the chances of encountering deer ticks by keeping your shrubs trimmed, grass clipped, and by hiring a licensed pest control expert that will provide a barrier treatment of the perimeter of your property.