Tick-borne diseases are focus of site

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - The Freehold Township Health Department has announced the launch of a new Internet Web site that offers centralized and comprehensive information on tick-borne disease ecology and control.

According to a press release from the township, the Web site provides information for two types of Internet researchers: the public and the professional.

The public portion of the Web site provides information about the ecology of ticks and disease transmission, how to protect yourself from the major tick-borne diseases, and how to recognize tick habitats and reduce exposure to ticks around the home.

The professional side, which is geared toward pest management professionals, land managers and public health officials, provides technical information on the assessment and management of vector tick populations and includes topics such as tick identification and biology, tick ecology, risk assessment, tick control technologies, and the role of integrated tick control strategies.

"We recognized the need for a central Internet resource on tick-borne diseases for both the public and the professional," said Robert A. Jordan, research scientist for the Freehold Area Tick-borne Dis-eases Program. "Our Web page focuses on tick biology, ecology and behavior, because an understanding of these factors is helpful in avoiding exposure to ticks and reducing the risk of disease transmission."

The Freehold Area Tick-borne Disease Program, funded by a cooperative grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, has been on the forefront of efforts to understand and prevent Lyme disease and other emerging tick-borne illness for more than 15 years, according to the press release.

Senior scientists within the program have 40 years of combined experience in tick-borne disease research and more than 50 publications in the scientific literature.

"Tick-borne diseases continue to pose a significant public health threat in New Jersey," said Margaret Jahn, director of the Freehold Township Health Depart-ment. "We are very proud of our research efforts and are pleased to have a dedicated Web site to share our knowledge."

Visit www.twp.freehold.nj.us/tbde for additional information.