Smithfield Township hosts 'Dare to Be Tick Aware' workshop; resident recounts severe post‑tick illness

Smithfield Township Council hosted a "Dare to Be Tick Aware" educational workshop at its regular meeting on Wednesday evening, where presenters outlined prevention steps, local testing resources and clinical warning signs for tick‑borne disease.

The presentation, organized by the township’s Environmental Advisory Council and facilitated by Dr. Alice Jackson, was led by Andrea Halfhill and a PA Lyme representative. "The goal is to improve public prevention response through community awareness and education," Halfhill said, describing the program and materials available to community groups. Presenters said the program was originally funded through state public‑health funds tied to CDC preventive‑health grants and offered a contact (info@palime.org) for scheduling local seminars.

Why it matters: Pennsylvania has among the highest reported burdens of Lyme disease in the nation, and presenters told the council that local prevention and early recognition are important because delayed diagnosis can lead to complex illness. The presenters summarized national CDC estimates and state trends and walked attendees through practical actions residents can take in yards and on their bodies to reduce risk.

Presenters outlined the DARE prevention acronym: Defend (wear long, light‑colored clothing and consider permethrin‑treated footwear and clothing), Avoid (stay out of high‑risk habitat such as tall grass and leaf litter), Remember (perform routine tick checks and shower promptly after outdoor activity) and Eliminate (remove attached ticks correctly and consider testing). The presenters recommended permethrin for treating boots and clothing, advised careful label reading to protect children and pets, and warned that permethrin products are toxic to cats if still wet when cats are exposed.

They described tick species and diseases documented in Pennsylvania — including blacklegged (deer) ticks, American dog ticks and lone star ticks — and noted recent detections of Asian longhorn and Gulf Coast ticks. The presenters cited common seasonal risk patterns (nymphs in summer) and gave approximate transmission windows mentioned in the presentation: Lyme disease transmission is typically cited in the literature at about 18–24 hours of attachment, Rocky Mountain spotted fever at several hours, and some viral agents can transmit more quickly.

On testing, presenters urged people who find an attached tick to save it in a sealed bag and consider free basic testing through ticklab.org (an East Stroudsburg University‑affiliated service). "They return results quickly and offer a free basic panel with an optional paid advanced test," the presenters said, noting a typical turnaround of about 72 hours.

During the question-and-answer period a participant described a prolonged and severe illness they attributed to tick‑borne infections. The participant said they had been hospitalized with sepsis and myocarditis, and described conflicting test results across hospitals. In response, presenters explained that standard antibody tests can be negative in the first days to weeks after infection because the body has not yet mounted a detectable antibody response, and they encouraged patients to preserve ticks for testing, seek follow‑up with clinicians, and consider local PA Lyme support‑group resources and virtual support meetings.

Council members thanked the presenters and the meeting proceeded to remaining business, including approval of minutes. The presenters made materials available online (palime.org) and offered brochures and checklists for parents, campers and school nurses.