Don’t get ticked off
Tips can help prevent tick-borne illnesses
By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

Ahh! The sun is shining, and it seems like a good day for a walk in the woods. But walkers be wary. Warm weather brings out ticks, and tick bites can result in serious tick-borne diseases, some of which can be deadly.

“As the days become longer and the afternoons become warmer, ticks can become real pests,” said Casey Landsdown, a public health educator with the Newton County Health Department.

“These parasites feed on human and animal blood and can be found in Missouri all year, although they are most commonly seen after the last frost,” she said. “Already this spring, there seems to be an abundance of ticks ready to make you their next meal.”

Serious illnesses
Through their body fluids ticks can transmit pathogens to humans, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia and Lyme disease. All are considered serious illnesses that must be reported to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Karen Yates, a spokeswoman for the state Health Department, said Missouri and Arkansas have been defined as the epicenter for tularemia infections nationwide. Formerly known as “rabbit fever,” the increasing number of cases is a concern for the department.

“If you have a tick bite that becomes a pus-filled wound that does not heal, you might have tularemia,” Yates said. “You get a fever. There’s achiness and your lymph system starts reacting. It can be a fatal disease.”

So far this year, there have been five confirmed cases, including one in Barton County. The five-year median is three cases by this point in the year.

The state has logged 19 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever so far this year. The five-year median is 21 cases by this point in the year.

Check frequently
To underscore the risk of disease and the importance of prevention, Gov. Matt Blunt earlier this month proclaimed May as “Missouri Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month.”

Dr. Howard Pue, state public health veterinarian, said preventing a tick-borne illness is much easier than curing one.

“The old saying ‘an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure’ certainly holds true when talking about tick-borne illness,” he said.

Some tick-related diseases, such as Lyme disease, can last for months. Most require antibiotic treatment.

A tick’s bite is usually painless, so you may not even know they are there.

“Check yourself frequently for ticks. They are most likely to transmit diseases after they have been feeding for two or more days,” Landsdown said. “Look in warm places, such as your underarms, sock-line, behind your ears, under tight-fitting clothing and in your hair.”

Removal tips
Common folklore remedies, such as petroleum jelly, hot match heads, cigarettes, nail-polish remover, alcohol and gasoline, don’t work. They can make matters worse by irritating the tick and stimulating it to release additional saliva, which increases the chances of transmitting a pathogen.

“You want to use tweezers and get as close down to the head of the tick as you can,” said Landsdown. “You don’t twist. It’s straight out with a firm motion.” If you spot a tick, remove it promptly.

• Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible.
• With steady pressure pull the tick out of the skin. Do not twist or jerk, which may cause the tick’s mouth to break off in your skin. Do not use creams, liquids or heat to get the tick to release.
• After you remove the tick, wash the bite site and your hands with soap and water.
• Do not crush the tick. This puts you at increased risk of coming into contact with its body fluid. Label a freezer bag with the date of the bite, seal the tick inside and store it in your freezer for 2-3 weeks in case you develop medical complications.

“If you don’t feel like saving the tick in a plastic bag, at least mark down the date of when it happened on your calendar,” Landsdown said.

Although most tick bites will heal on their own, watch for a sudden onset of fever, muscle pain or headache followed by a rash. If any of these symptoms develop, contact your health-care provider.

Said Pue: “People also need to realize that ticks can be found nearly anywhere there is grass, bushes, brush and leaf litter, including suburban back yards and city parks. So, it’s important to keep up your guard even if going out to do yard work or taking the kids to a soccer game.”