“Study results show an alarming increase in infection rates of ticks that spread Lyme disease,” the Fairfield County Municipal Deer Alliance said in its release about phase one. Redding is a member of the alliance, which is coordinating the tick study.

“This [Lyme disease] is the dominant health issue in the town of Redding due to its rural character,” said Doug Hartline, the town’s health officer.

Dr. Sapi is an expert in the collection and analysis of deer ticks. She is particularly interested in the increasingly common finding in Lyme-carrying ticks of other infectious agents, such as those that cause the diseases ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, the alliance said.

The alliance also notes that previous studies over the last 10 years or so have reported a rise in the percentage of ticks that carry the infectious agents for Lyme, ehrlichiosis and babesosis, “all of which are becoming increasingly common diseases in humans in New England.”

The numbers

Speaking of the number of ticks found, Mr. Hartline said anything over six ticks in an hour is considered “an elevated risk for tick-borne diseases. The number of ticks found this time are more than last time,” he added.

Fox Run trail was not included in the first phase of the study, but last November, 34 ticks in an hour were found at the middle school and just 14 at Topstone Park. The other site studied last year was Huntington Sate Park, where 30 ticks were found.

Mr. Hartline said the Huntington Park site was eliminated this year because it was established during the first phase of the deer tick study that it is a place with a high deer tick count. As a result, he said, the state Department of Environmental Protection is now running a controlled deer hunt at that site in an attempt to reduce the overabundant deer population.

The site may be studied again in a year or two, said Georgina Scholl MD, Redding representative on the alliance who is coordinating the deer tick study. Ms. Scholl explained that the wait will show if the numbers of deer ticks are down because of the controlled hunt.

Mr. Hartline opted to go with the Fox Den trail site, she said, “because he felt it was a bad site.” A controlled deer hunt is taking place at this site as well, she said.

Besides the three sites visited by Dr. Sapi, Ms. Scholl did a count of ticks at the Saugatuck Falls trail and found 40 in an hour. She did this to save money, since Dr. Sapi charges $80 per site and Ms. Scholl did it for free.

Analyzed for infections

With her information, Dr. Sapi will now have ticks from four sites in town to analyze. In phase two of the study, ticks will be collected, counted and analyzed for the presence of co-infections such as Borrelia and Babesia in the same tick. The town is paying $3,160 for a total of 100 ticks to be analyzed for Borrelia, the Lyme bacteria, and 100 for the Babesia parasite. Ms. Scholl said 50 ticks from each site will be tested, using 25 for each infection analysis.

Dr. Sapi said the Babesia parasite was included in the testing because it’s a tick-borne infection that can be hard to get rid of. She explained that the parasite gets inside the red blood cells of a person.

At this point, said Mr. Hartline, the second phase of the study is incomplete “because testing is the No. 1 thing to be done.”

Dr. Sapi expects to have her analysis of the ticks collected in Redding, Ridgefield and Newtown completed by the end of December.

She will look to see if the numbers are still as high for ticks infected with Borrelia as they were for the first phase of the study.

Phase one

Phase one results showed that Lyme bacteria were present in an average of 60% of ticks overall, ranging from 51% to 70% in the different towns. Newtown, Bethel, Greenwich, and Redding were found to be particular hot spots for the infected ticks, with infection rates well above previously reported levels, the alliance said.

“The study is providing a good baseline for the quantity of ticks and the number infected,” said Mr. Hartline. “Before, we had no information like this to compare year to year.”

The weather for this year’s tick collection was better than last year’s, said Dr. Sapi. “The condition was perfect for ticks this year,” she said, “and we were able to collect more ticks — we found ticks everywhere this year.”

A large number of ticks were found on bushes. Ticks like to be close to water, ferns and rock piles and in high grass.

“There is an ideal tick habitat in Redding,” said Ms. Scholl.

According to Ms. Scholl, the study is looking at the risk involved for tick-borne infections at specific locations. “We are trying to raise awareness at these areas,” she said, later adding the town has already put warning signs about ticks at 16 locations.

“We are finding ticks on the edges of playing fields, trails and at school sites,” she said.

State health data indicates children 5 to 9 years old are at the highest risk for Lyme disease since so many play outside.

High season

This is high season for adult ticks, said Ms. Scholl, “and they are looking for deer on which they breed, then drop off and lay 2,000 to 3,000 ticks each. So a deer is like a walking incubator for adult female ticks ...” she added.

Raking leaves or working around woodpiles are “high-tick” occupations, Ms. Scholl said. “Keep dogs and kids away from leaf piles and woodpiles.”

While the fall is the high season for adult ticks, which are larger than a pinhead and visible, the late spring and summer are the second high-risk season because of the nymph ticks, which are smaller and less visible because of their size and gray color, Ms. Scholl said.

According to the alliance, this is the first systematic study of ticks from specific locations across Fairfield County. The information will help towns “better understand how to protect their residents from these infections, and will reinforce the need for vigilance in preventing tick bites,” the alliance said.

The study is being funded by the participating towns, many of which are members of the alliance. More information is available on the alliance Web site at www.deeralliance.com. ShareThis