Crow Wing, Cass, top state list for Lyme exposures

Crow Wing and Cass counties top the list of the top 10 counties of exposure for reported cases of Lyme disease, collected between 1998-2007, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

One in five, or 20 percent, of the confirmed cases in Minnesota from 1998-2007 were from Crow Wing County, compared to 8 percent in Cass County, the second highest number of confirmed cases in the state. Crow Wing had 966 confirmed cases and Cass had 370 reported cases.

Many consider the cases of tick-borne illnesses are vastly underreported since it can be difficult to confirm a clinical diagnosis and not all medical professionals report their cases to the state.

Pine County was ranked third with 6 percent, or 302, of the reported cases. Aitkin County was ranked fourth with 4 percent, or 207 reported cases. Other counties on the list included Anoka, Washington, Houston, Morrison, Hubbard and Itasca counties.

Know the signs for Lyme

Three to 30 days after a deer tick bite:

Rash (often a "bulls-eye" but not always).

Fever.

Chills.

Headache.

Muscle and joint pain.

Fatigue.

Days to weeks after illness onset:

Multiple rashes.

Facial paralysis on one side.

Fever, stiff neck, headache.

Weakness, numbness, arm/leg pain.

Irregular heartbeat.

Persistent weakness and fatigue.

Weeks to months after illness onset

Fatigue.

Chronic arthritis.

Nervous system problems.

Other tick-borne illnesses

Human anaplasmosis and babesiosis are two other tick-borne illnesses that can be carried by deer ticks, along with Lyme disease.

Human anaplasmosis signs and symptoms include:

Fever over 102 degrees.

Severe headache.

Muscle aches.

Chills and shaking.

Babesiosis, a protozoan infection, can have the following signs and symptoms:

High fever.

Chills.

Headache.

Muscle aches.

Fatigue.

Loss of appetite.

Human anaplasmosis is treated with antibiotics while babesiosis is treated with antimicrobial drugs.

Preventing tick-borne illnesses

Take precautions, especially from May through July when deer ticks are more actively feeding. But be aware that adult deer ticks may feed as early as March and as late as November.

Use tick repellents, like DEET (up to 30 percent for children and adults) or permethrin, according to the label instructions.

Tuck pants into socks to create a barrier to ticks when out in the woods.

Wear light-colored clothing, which helps to more easily spot ticks.

Source: Minnesota Department of Health.