Ticks 101

Here’s a shortlist of tick species found in our geographical area and how they affect us.

American dog tick is found in much of the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains.

• Transmits: Tularemia – can be life-threatening, but most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Tularemia is always accompanied by fever. Illness ranges, but the most common form appears as a skin ulcer at the site where the bacteria entered the body. The ulcer is accompanied by swelling of regional lymph glands, usually in the armpit or groin. The American dog tick also transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
• The highest risk of being bitten occurs in spring and summer. Dog ticks are sometimes called wood ticks.

Blacklegged tick is found throughout the eastern United States.

• Transmits: Bacteria that causes Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus. Lyme disease is the most common of these diseases. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, it can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
• The highest risk of being bitten occurs in the spring, summer and fall.

Brown dog tick is found around the world.

• Transmits: Rocky Mountain spotted fever primarily in the southwest and along the U.S. Mexico border. It is one of the deadliest tick-borne diseases in the United States. The most common symptoms include fever, headache, and rash. It can be deadly if not treated early with antibiotics.
• Dogs are the primary host for the brown dog tick in each of its life stages.

Lone star tick can be found throughout the southeast and eastern United States all the way up the Maine coast.

• Transmits: Ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus, tularemia and STARI. Ehrlichiosis is the general name used to describe diseases caused by the bacteria from a Lone star tick. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and sometimes an upset stomach. A rash similar to Lyme disease marks a STARI infection. The rash may be accompanied by fatigue, fever, headache, and muscle and joint pains.
• This is a very aggressive biting tick. The adult female is marked with a white dot or “lone star” on her back.

What to do if you find a tick.

If you find an attached tick, remove it as soon as possible. There are many tick removal devices on the market, but a regular set of fine-tipped tweezers work well.

• Grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure to ensure you remove the mouthparts.
• After removing the tick, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.
• If you develop a fever or rash within several weeks of tick removal, see your doctor.

Preventing tick bites.

Ticks are difficult to avoid, they are stealthy and can worm their way right through your socks! Oftentimes you won’t know you are being bitten right away. They are tiny, and often hard to spot unless you’re really looking. They live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas and can live on wild animals too. Just about every outdoor activity can bring us into close contact with ticks.

Knowing your surroundings and how to prepare may help you avoid contact with ticks.

• Treat clothing and gear with products containing the insecticide, permethrin.
• Use insect repellent recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
• Walk in the center of the trails.

When you come indoors, do a tick check.

• Check your clothing for ticks.
• Examine your gear and pets.
• Shower soon after coming inside.
• Check your body for ticks.

The overall thing to keep in mind is that ticks are a part of our ecosystem. We may question their purpose, but rest assured they do have one. Aside from being an important source of food for several species of animals, they do provide scientists insight into how the ecosystem is fairing. That said, we do not necessarily want them in our yards, on our pets, or on ourselves. By following a few basic steps, we can help to minimize and prevent tick bites and disease. If you’ve been bit and are having symptoms you may want to talk to your doctor.

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