Combat Ticks Carrying Deadly New Virus with Natural Oil Spray

The Powassan virus, a newly discovered tick-borne disease with no known cure, has shown up in several patients in Connecticut. People who live in tick-infested areas, like the East End of Long Island, are urged to take precautions to avoid tick bites.

While the symptoms of Powassan virus are similar to Lyme disease, they are far more severe, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Signs and symptoms of infection can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, and memory loss. Long-term neurologic problems may occur.

Making this new threat even more frightening, ticks can transmit the Powassan virus within minutes of biting. Transmission of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases generally requires that a tick be attached for at least 24 hours.

The best defense against the Powassan and other tick-borne illnesses is to avoid getting bitten in the first place.

• Wear long sleeves and light-colored pants tucked into white socks when you walk in wooded areas. The light colors make it easy to see ticks that may be crawling on your clothes.
• When you come in from outside, check yourself thoroughly for ticks.
• If you do get bitten, use tweezers to remove the tick thoroughly from your skin, then save the tick and make a note of the date and location of the bite in case symptoms later appear.
• Spray your clothes and skin with a tick-repellent containing permethrin, or use an organic tick repellent like this one:

Combine 2 ounces of water in a spray bottle with 10 drops each of essential oil of:

• cedar
• tea tree
• lavender
• peppermint
• eucalyptus

Shake it up and spray your lower legs every time you head out. If you’re going to be walking in the woods of through deep grass, spray yourself all over for good measure.

If you do get a tick bite, and develop a rash or fever within several weeks, call our office at (631) 377-3630 and let us know so you can be tested for tick-borne diseases and treated promptly.