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Reducing Tick-Borne Disease Risk in the Agricultural Community

A Study of Tick Reduction Strategies on VT Farms

In 2019, Vermont had the highest incidence of Lyme disease in the US.

About
75%
of people diagnosed with Lyme disease do not recall being biten.
It is estimated that there are
476,000
new cases of Lyme disease every year in the US.

Vermont has had the highest incidence of anaplasmosis in the US since 2015.

Using permethrin on your socks and shoes makes you
74X
less likely to be bitten by a tick.
If you can safely remove a tick within
24
hours, you can greatly reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease.

Project Description

Project Area

This project’s overarching goal is to reduce the occupational risk of tick-borne disease exposure in agricultural workers in Vermont. This pilot project will work with dairy and livestock workers in Southern Vermont. To achieve this goal, we have two aims. The first is to hold “Tick Talks” to discuss ticks and tick-borne diseases with agricultural workers. We will offer some education and hope to learn from agricultural workers what prevention methods they already use, what has worked for them, what sort of prevention methods they want to see, and how they deal with ticks on their farms. The second aim is to conduct a randomized control trial using Thermacell Tick Control Tubes in critical areas around farms (farmhouses and barns) to assess their effect on tick numbers and tick encounters with workers.

Tick Talk Logo, in the style of TikTok, the social media platform
Thermacell Tick Control Tube
Map of Vermont, with our study area of Southern VT highlighted

Project Goals

To reduce the occupational risk of tick-borne disease exposure in agricultural workers

To better understand agricultural workers’ awareness and perceptions of tick-borne diseases

To determine the effect of Thermacell Tick Control Tubes on tick numbers and reported tick encounters in agricultural workers

Tick Talk Topics and Schedule

Want to learn more?

Join our study!

We want to talk with you; it’s one thing to think about ticks clinically, it’s another to hear about them from people who come into contact with them every day!

Questions beyond what’s on this page? Get in contact with us!

    Click the titles below to learn about each session; we hope you will choose any and all that are of interest to you!

    Topics will include:

    Tick-borne diseases in forestry workers

    Rural living and Lyme disease

    Pet ownership and Lyme disease

    Farmers/Farmworkers and tick-borne diseases

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    How long has Lyme been around?

    Home remedies for tick removal

    Home remedies for tick repellants

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    How has Lyme changed over time?

    Why has it become such an issue in Vermont recently?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    Will Lyme keep spreading?

    What about other tick-borne diseases?

    What’s happening with ticks?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    What kind of ticks to we find in Southern Vermont?

    What kind of disease can each tick carry?

    What are the life cycles and are they all dangerous?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    Where do ticks live?

    Why are they moving?

    When are ticks active?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    Why are ticks attracted to humans?

    When are ticks active?

    When are ticks most dangerous to humans?

    How do ticks find their hosts?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    What happens when a tick bites you?

    How do ticks feed? How long do they feed?

    How do you properly remove a tick?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    How you can avoid tick bites using:

    • Permethrin
    • DEET
    • Tick Checks
    • Clothing Choices
    • Post-Outdoor Activity checklist

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    What is Lyme disease?

    What are its symptoms?

    What is “chronic Lyme disease?”

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    What is anaplasmosis?

    What is babesiosis?

    What other tick-borne diseases are in Vermont?

    What are co-infections?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Topics will include:

    Did we used to have  human Lyme vaccines?

    Don’t we have a dog Lyme vaccine?

    What is being worked on right now?

    Click here to join this Tick Talk

    Meet our Team

    Dr. Mandy Roome

    Dr. Amanda Roome, PhD

    Principle Investigator

    Email Mandy

    Kevin Luschen, MA

    Kevin Luschen, MA

    Research Coordinator

    Email Kevin