Lyme Disease: Test your Tick Control IQ

(Answers at the end of the quiz)

 

1)  In the United States, the type of tick most likely to transmit Lyme disease to people is the

A)  blacklegged tick (deer tick)

B)  American dog tick (wood tick)

C)  Brown dog tick                              

D)  Rocky mountain wood tick

 

2)  The stage in the life cycle of the tick that is most likely to transmit Lyme disease to people is the

A)  egg            

B)  larva          

C)  nymph       

D)  adult male  

E)  adult female

 

3)  The size of the tick at the stage that is most likely to transmit Lyme disease is

A)  about the size of a peanut  

B)  about the size of a sunflower seed

C)  about the size of a sesame seed      

D)  about the size of a poppy seed

 

4)  The most common hosts for larvae and nymphs of Lyme-transmitting ticks are

A)  deer          

B)  dogs and cats         

C)  mice and other rodents       

D)  birds

 

5)  The life cycle of the tick that transmits Lyme disease requires at least how many years to complete?

A) one-half

B) one

C) two

D) three

 

6) In the U.S., the most common month for a person to be diagnosed with Lyme disease is

A) May

B) June

C) July

D) August

E) December

 

7)  Aside from the Northeastern U.S. , which region of the United States has the largest number of cases of Lyme disease?

A)  Southeastern U.S.              

B)  Upper Midwest

C)  Rocky Mountain West       

D)  Pacific Northwest

 

8)  Which of the following measures would probably NOT protect you against Lyme disease?

A)  wearing nylon socks                                   

B)  tucking your pants legs into your socks

C)  promptly removing ticks                             

D)  use of DEET-containing repellents

 

9)  A human vaccine for Lyme disease

A) is widely available in all states          

B)  is only available in states with high Lyme disease prevalence

C)  is no longer available

D)  has never been available

 

10) Removing leaves can reduce tick populations in an area by at least

A) 10%           

B)  25%          

C) 50%           

D) 70%           

E) 95%

           

11) One recent development of tick control relies on the use of bait stations for deer.  In this tick control method, the deer are attracted to corn in the bait station and are then are treated with a pesticide.  This method of tick control is reported to reduce tick populations, over several years, by at least

A) 10%           

B) 30%           

C) 60%           

D) 90%           

E) 100%

 

12) Another recent development in tick control uses a “black box” about the size of a package of snack crackers.  As animals navigate through the box they are

A)  killed by a poison                                                   

B)  treated with a pesticide

C)  trapped in the maze and unable to escape               

D)  vaccinated against Lyme disease

 

Answers:

 

1) A- the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast are the primary vectors of Lyme disease in the U.S.

2) C- nymphs are frequently infected and are small enough (see question 3) that they often bite people without being noticed.  Larva are smaller yet (about the size of a period at the end of a sentence) but are rarely infected with the Lyme bacterium.

3) D- nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed.  (www.tickbook.com has a photograph of the various life stages of blacklegged ticks with a poppy seed for scale)

4) C- immature blacklegged ticks typically feed on deer mice, whitefooted mice, chipmunks, and other rodents

5) C-  under the best of circumstances, blacklegged ticks have a life cycle that requires at least two years (egg to egg).

6)  C- the majority of infected individuals are diagnosed in July.  Most Lyme victims are probably bitten in June, but it can take up to thirty days for the first symptoms to appear.  (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 53(17);365-369, 2004)  

7)  B- Upper Midwest

8)  A- wearing nylon socks- the other methods listed do potentially offer some protection against Lyme disease

9) C- a human vaccine for Lyme disease was available until 2002, but is no longer on the market

10) D- 70% or greater reduction in tick populations, according to a paper in the Journal of Medical Entomology (vol. 32, pages 730-733, 1995).

11) D- 90% reduction reported over three years, according to a recently published paper (Journal of Vector Ecology 28(1): 117-134, 2003)

12) B- treated with a pesticide.  This product is called the Maxforce® tick management system.

 

Scoring:

 

10 or higher- you are well-informed about Lyme disease- keep reading so you are familiar about advances in the field

 

7-9  you have substantial background knowledge, but may not be up-to-date on some of the newer methods of tick control

 

6 or lower- time to do some reading to help protect you and your family from the risk of contracting Lyme disease

 

More information about tick control is available in a new book entitled “Ticks Off! Controlling Ticks That Transmit Lyme Disease on Your Property” by Patrick Guilfoile Ph.D.  Details about the book and ordering information are available at www.tickbook.com.