Most cases of Lyme disease reported in Maine occur during July. Common ways to prevent tick bites include:

n Wear light-colored clothing to help see ticks;

n Tuck pant legs into socks so ticks cannot crawl inside pant legs;

n Apply a tick repellent on skin and clothing;

n Conduct a close body inspection for ticks and promptly remove any. Be especially careful to check at body folds, behind ears and in hair;

n Shower and wash clothes as soon as possible after being outdoors;

n Remove the entire tick by grabbing with fine-tipped tweezers or covered fingers and pulling gently until it lets go;

n Beware folklore remedies. Petroleum jelly, soapy water or hot matches do not encourage a tick to detach from skin. Such approaches may actually irritate the tick, causing it to release even more saliva and increasing the chances of transmitting a tick-borne disease;

n Never touch a tick with bare hands or crush the body of a tick, as it may contain infectious organisms;

n You may want to save the tick for identification in case you become ill within 2-3 weeks.

Sources: Maine Department of Health and Human Services; Maine Medical Center Research Institute.