Nobody likes ticks. The idea of their little heads under the skin feasting on blood is enough to merit long sleeves and repellent for many people.

But it seems that Cayuga County residents have an even bigger reason to be wary of the little, eight-legged parasites - Lyme disease. Historically associated with areas near the southeastern parts of New York and New England states like Connecticut or New Hampshire, the condition looks to be creeping its way upstate, local health officials say.

According to Scott King, with the Cayuga County Health Department, there have so far been approximately five reported cases of Lyme disease in the county this year. None of those cases look to be home-grown, but instead were caught in other areas, King said.

However, King also said he has seen a dramatic increase within the county of the number of deer ticks, the species that carries and passes the disease.

King collects and identifies ticks around the county for the department. He said when he started this job about eight years ago, almost all the ticks he found were “garden variety ticks” such as the American dog tick or the woodchuck tick, neither of which carry Lyme disease.

Today, between 80 and 95 percent of the ticks he collects are deer ticks, King said.

“The deer ticks are here. And if they are here, the logic would follow that Lyme is also potentially in the area,” King said.

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria that is transmitted through the tick bite. In most cases, a circular rash about two inches in diameter appears around the site of the bite, often resembling a bull's eye.

At its earliest stage, the disease is marked by flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, fatigue, joint or muscle pain and swollen glands. If left untreated, more severe symptoms can occur, such as tingling or numbness in the arms and legs, or facial paralysis.

The most severe symptoms include painful arthritis, headaches and heart or central nervous system problems.

Initial symptoms occur within three to 30 days of transmission, and treatment involves antibiotics. However, according to the state department of health, chances of a complete cure decrease as treatment is delayed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4,460 cases were confirmed in New York in 2006, the most of any state.

The state department of health reports that two cases were confirmed in Cayuga County during 2005, the most recent year for which data is available. Delaware County had the highest number of reported cases that year, with 1,398, according to the health department.

While the influx of deer ticks has yet to translate to more local human cases of Lyme disease, a Skaneateles veterinarian said she is finding higher numbers of four-legged residents with the condition.

Megan Williams, who works with Clear Lake Animal Wellness, said four dogs tested positive for Lyme disease in May alone. That is almost 11 percent of the dogs that were tested, Williams said.

While she has only worked at Clear Lake for about a year, Williams said that a more typical number for the area would be closer to six cases in six months.

“This is sort of an indicator for human risk,” said Williams, who added that the most typical symptom for dogs is lameness. “If a dog has it, people need to be aware that they can be exposed as well.”

If you find you have been bitten by a tick, the best thing to do is go to a physician and have them remove it for you, King said. If you do feel the need to remove it, make sure to use a pair of tweezers, carefully grasp it as close to the mouth parts as possible, pull it out in a steady motion and disinfect the spot of the bite, he said.

Do not try to irritate it out with substances like Vaseline or burn it with matches or cigarettes, he said.

“If a deer tick is carrying Lyme, you just aggravated it and it just gave you a bigger dose of whatever pathogen it might be carrying,” King said.

And if you are able to remove the tick, put it in a container with rubbing alcohol and bring it to a physician or the local health department. They can send the specimen to the state health department, which will identify within a week to 10 days if it is a deer tick.

If it is, you and your doctor can decide if a treatment of antibiotics is the next step, he said.

“If you can get it identified in a week to 10 days, you are still in the window of opportunity to receive a successful treatment,” King said.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net