Ticks can spread infectious diseases such as
Lyme disease and and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Photograph: Rasmus Holmboe Dahl/Alamy
I recently came across an article that spoke about the increased spread of the TICK population in the surrounding area. The impact tick bites can have on our health is detrimental if not treated promptly and something the Stonewall Acres site-owners might want to take seriously.
Awareness of the dangers attached to the Tick migration northwards has drawn attention greatly over the last several years. Not only is it necessary to seek treatment for a bite but also it is now a race against time in some potentially fatal cases.
What was once a nuisance for rodents and wildlife in concentrated in areas much further south of us, has made its way to the North East regions of Upper New York state as well as into Canada. One of the greatest explanations for their growing infestation is due to climate change. Although it might be because the temperature does not get as cold as it used to, the more likely reason is that it may still be just as cold as before but our spring-like temperature arrives sooner which cuts back on their hibernation allowing more time to come out.
There are several types of ticks with some so tiny in size they are not the easiest to identify. The American dog tick found on bears is found on the East Coast, Midwest, and parts of the West Coast can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The species to be on alert for in our region would be the 'deer tick'. This black legged insect can lead to Lyme disease. It's symptoms are fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle or joint pain and a bull's- eye skin rash or red patch that grows larger can be treated by Antibiotics. More serious complications include "acute arthritis and facial paralysis".
What has become a greater concern is there has been a discovery that the deer tick is "loaded with pathogens" making the non-treatment of a tick bite one that is potentially much more fatal than we think.
Experts are now saying that there are huge variety of side effects that can come from being infected. Some are like "ticking time bombs" and timing is crucial in regards to the need for medical attention. Although our bodies can fight of a small amount of 'pathogens', researchers warn that if higher, the result could be the transmission of disease. In the case of a tick that has 'bound' itself to your skin, it is possible it has had a chance to transmit infection, it is best to have it seen by a doctor as soon as possible.
How much time we have depends on the disease. Lyme disease is transmitted when "the tick has been attached for over a day." Rocky Mountain spotted fever, 'rickettsia', is transmitted within "12 hours of the tick attachment." Both potentially dangerous and even fatal if containing life threatening 'anaplasmosis and babesiosis' viruses. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing or breeding disorders (ehrlichiosis), neurologicasl problems (Powassan) and widespread heart, joint or kidney damage (Rocky Mountain spotted fever) invite even more serious consequences.
If I could pass along any words of advice it would be to keep your eyes open and protect yourself and your pets too. These nasty bugs won't think twice about hopping onto the furry leg of your pooch and end up in your house. A helpful list of Dos and Don'ts along with the complete articles on the above information can be found in the references below. To contact the New York State Department of Health, go to www.health.ny.gov/publications/2813/ for more information and images of a tick bite.
5 Ways to Protect Yourself from a Tick Bite
1. Spray on repellent
To avoid a tick bite, use an effective repellent. Consumer Reports recently tested 15 insect sprays and found several to recommend that are safer to use and work for several hours.
Apply to exposed skin—never under clothing. Use just enough to cover since heavy doses don't work better. And don't let young children apply. Instead, put it on your own hands, then rub it on kids, avoiding their hands, eyes, and mouth. Wash off repellents before you go to bed.
2. Wear the right clothes
When walking through wooded or grassy areas, wear light-colored clothes because that makes it easier to spot ticks. Wear long sleeves if possible and long pants, socks, and boots or closed-toe shoes. Tuck your hair into a hat, your shirt into your pants, and your pants into your socks. For extra protection, toss your clothes into a dryer on high heat to kill ticks that might be attached.
3. Inspect your skin
Back inside, shower using a wash cloth as soon as possible (preferably within two hours) to remove any unattached ticks, which often remain on your skin for hours before attaching themselves. Search carefully, since deer ticks are no bigger than the head of a pin.
Check your body, including your armpits and groin, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and in your hair. Use tweezers to gently remove any attached ticks. (Remove the whole body, including the head.) Ticks have to be attached for at least 36 hours to transmit Lyme disease.
4. Keep your grass short
Ticks like tall grass and lots of shade. So keep your lawn mowed (read our lawn mower buying guide), remove leaves and other debris, and try to let as much sun into your yard as possible. Consider putting up a fence around your property to keep out deer and other large animals that can carry ticks.
5. Check your pets
Deer ticks that crawl aboard your dog or cat can attach to you after you touch your pet. So inspect pets after they've been outside, and remove any ticks you find with tweezers. "Try not to puncture it, because infected material can come out of the damaged tick," says Lars Eisen, Ph.D., research entomologist for the CDC. "And don't handle the tick with your bare fingers." Dispose of a tick by submersing it in rubbing alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.
The good news is that if you lose a tick while removing it with tweezers, it likely will be too damaged to bite again, Eisen says. Deer ticks feed only once in each life stage (larva, nymph and adult).
REFERENCES:
THE GUARDIAN NETWORK
www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/28/tick-populations-booming-due-to-climate-change#img-1
TICKBORNE DISEASES OF THE UNITED STATES A Reference Manual for Health Care Providers Fourth Edition, 2017
www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/tickbornediseases.pdf
CONSUMER REPORTS
www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/06/5-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-a-tick-bite/index.htm