Strategies for reducing the risk of Lyme Disease

The incidence of Lyme Disease continues to increase in the United States.  Area-wide tick-icides can be highly effective in killing tick nymphs, with greater than 95% of nymphs killed in studies using cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, or carbaryl. However, a survey of communities in 4 states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York) demonstrated that less than 25% of the populace have used area-wide tick-icides on their own property. In searching for alternative methods of reducing Lyme risk, host-targeted methods have been proven to be effective. Newly developed methods include the use of tick-icides applied to deer feeder stations. This method is called the 4-poster method and has been shown in trials to reduce populations of tick-nymphs by 69%. Also, rodent-targeted bait boxes containing fipronil have been shown to eliminate ticks on mice and negatively impact the tick population and reduce the proportion of ticks infected with disease. Host eradication (Deer Culls) can also be utilized. On Monhegan Island, Maine, white-tailed deer were totally eradicated from the island from 1999 to 2000. By 2004, no immature ticks could be found on rodents on Monhegan Island. Landscape management practices can also be utilized to reduce the risk of Lyme Disease as can personal protection procedures including regular tick checks. These practices have been nicely summarized in a new Tick Management Handbook (click here to Download) produced by Dr. Kirby C. Stafford III with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Although there is no magic bullet available to completely eliminate the risk of Lyme Disease from large geographic areas, the use of Integrated Pest Management practices holds the prospect for reducing and managing Lyme Disease risk in the future.