At the drop of a tick: a corps of Lyme-disease fighters meets its match in an army of arthropods - includes related article

Science News, March 25, 1989 by Ingrid Wickelgren, Rick Weiss

The lack of knowledge puts a heavy burden on potential victims to watch for signs and take precautions. The primary way to control the transmission of Lyme disease at present is through human behavior.

Avoiding high-risk areas would help, though state agencies are unlikely to have such information. For now, Schulze says, people just have to walk the site and look for ticks. Spielman suggests watching for deer. To be safe, people walking the woods or parks in Lyme-affected areas should cover themselves with light-colored clothing and insect repellent, and inspect for ticks frequently, Fish says.

But behavioral methods are not tick-proof, and there is a need for backup support that only science can provide. Studies of the tick's life may yet reveal a fatal flaw in the creature's seemingly invincible survival techniques. After all, Fish says, "life can't be that easy for a tick."