Lyme disease--a hazard of an appointment to the United States.

Lyme disease is just one of the many tick borne diseases to be encountered within the United States that can affect humans. To the visitor who confines their time to major conurbations the risk of contracting Lyme disease is minimal. However, anyone planning a hiking trip during tick season must take precautions to prevent being bitten and possibly infected. For those of us who live within an endemic area the shower after a days gardening is not just to remove sweat and dirt but also an opportunity to check for, and if necessary remove, any ticks that may have chosen a human host. Fortunately, the liberal use of insecticide around our house combined with one of our cat's single pawed attempt to eliminate the local white-footed mouse population appears to have been effective in reducing the tick count.