Although the 5-year grant-funded Community Lyme Disease Prevention study has ended, Ledge Light Health District continues to work with citizens, schools, and others in our area to reduce and prevent further cases of Lyme disease in Southeastern Connecticut.

 Our program’s education activities include:

• Speaking with community groups about personal protection measures.

• Maintaining demonstration gardens that show deer-resistant landscaping techniques.

• Distributing Lyme disease information at local health fairs and public events.

• Media campaigns – including newspaper displays, tv/radio public service announcements, pamphlets, banners and signs – that educate the public about Lyme disease and personal protection measures.

 WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A TICK!

Ledge Light Health District accepts ticks that have been found on the bodies of citizens of our jurisdiction.  You can bring or mail the tick with the completed Tick Submission Form with a check for $20 made to Ledge Light Health District to any of our offices and we will forward the tick for testing at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES).

 Please note the following guidelines for tick submission:

• Remove tick with tweezers or forceps.
• Do not apply oils, soaps, alcohol, etc. to the tick to remove it.  Also, please do NOT use tape to ‘hold’ the tick in place.  Using these products may delay the testing process.
• After removal, clean skin area with antibiotic/antiseptic product.
• Place tick in a zip baggie (with a few blades or grass if it’s alive).
• Complete the submission form and mail it with the tick and a check for $20 made to Ledge Light Health District to: Ledge Light Health District – 216 Broad Street – New London, CT  06320
• Your tick will be tested at the CAES laboratory in New Haven, CT. 

Results can take up to 4 weeks

• Your tick testing results will be sent to us here at LLHD – the results will then be sent to you as soon as we receive them.
• If you submit a dog tick, it will be identified as such and will NOT be tested, as dog ticks do not transmit Lyme disease.  You will be notified of this decision.

• NOTE:  As of January 1, 2006, the CAES lab will only be testing Ixodes scapularis (black-legged ‘deer’ticks) that have ingested human blood. All ticks will be accepted for identification and degree of engorgement, but unengorged ticks will no longer be tested.