“Backyard Disease” Gets A Backyard Cure (NAPSA)—As temperatures rise, so do tick populations, bringing with them a host of consequences, including Lyme disease. Nearly 23,000 humancases of the disease were reported in 2002, an increase of more than 15 percent since 2000. Health officials estimate that more than 75 percent of all Lyme disease cases are contracted on residential properties, making Lyme disease a true “backyard disease.” And, it’s estimated that only one in 10 cases of Lyme diseaseis actually reported. Every year, the spring and summer months show a dramatic increase in the incidence of Lyme. For years, there was little the public could do to reduce tick populations and the probability of contracting Lyme disease that did not involve the broadcast of pesticides in the environment. This issue caught the attention of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Through a joint effort of CDC scientists and manufacturer Bayer Environmental Science, the Maxforce Tick Management System is now available to control ticks and significantly reduce the risk of Lyme disease. The product works where the ticks themselves contract the Lyme bacteria, during an early stage in the life cycle whenthey feed on the field mouse, chipmunk andother rodents. “Contrary to popular belief, small rodents, not deer, are primarily responsible for transmitting the Lyme bacteria to ticks,” said Chuck Cole, Bayer Environmental Science. “By treating the rodents, we get to the root of the problem and break the cycle of Lymedisease.” In field trials, the system showed nearly an 80 percent reduction in the nymphal tick population after the first year and a 96 percent reduction over two years. “Before the trials, we were a | @ Thelife stages and size of the American deer tick (Ixodus scapularis), which can transmit Lyme disease, from the larval stage to an engorged adult. The Maxforce Tick Management System targets the larval and nymphal stagesof the tick, when it is mostlikely to pick up the Lyme disease bacteria. constantly doing tick checks and removing attached deer ticks from the children and from ourselves,” said Lesley Trevor, a Connecticut homeowner who participated in the field trials. “This year we had zero ticks on our property. The bait boxes have made an incredible difference in the quality of our life.” The system consists of small boxes that are placed around the perimeter of the homeor building where ticks and rodents are abundant. Mice and chipmunks that have established territorities around the house are attracted to a food source inside the box, where they are then treated with a small dose of insecticide. The active ingredient in the insecticide—fipronil—kills the ticks, not the mice. Fipronil is also the active ingredient used in a leading tick control product for pets. While medical science can treat the after effects of Lyme disease, the Maxforce Tick Management System, a new, highly effective tool to reduce the risk of Lyme disease, is available through licensed applicators. For more information, andto find a licensed professional, visit www.MaxforceTMS.com or call 1-800-331-2867.
