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Health & Wellness News

Lehigh Valley is Lyme disease hotspot; Pa. has highest rate of infections in U.S.

ticks-npr
The culprit: Lyme disease is caused by the bite of a blacklegged tick. Photo | NPR

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Professor Marten Edwards of Allentown’s Muhlenberg College said Pennsylvania has the highest numbers of lyme disease cases in the country… and the Lehigh Valley should be considered a hotspot. 

He said many people can be exposed to the disease without knowing because the most infectious ticks are almost too small to notice. 

“These are not your big dog ticks that you would usually see.. These are little tiny things about the size of a poppy seed. They’re active right now...that’s why we really need to be extra careful.”

So, if you’re going to be out in wooded areas or places with high grass.. You should treat your clothes with a chemical called permethrin - which Edwards says is easy to find… but if not… you can use basic insect repellent.