Commonly viewed as a nuisance while outdoors, mosquitoes pose many health risks, including the transmission of West Nile virus, chikungunya and Zika virus. But they are not the only bloodsuckers to keep at bay.
Ticks top the list of pesky pests to keep an eye out for in Middle Tennessee, according to infectious disease experts at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
“We are in peak tick season right now,” said Anthony Flores, MD, MPH, PhD, professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “They are very small, often the size of a sesame seed, making them hard to see. And they don’t just attach to our skin, they travel on pets too.
“Exposure to ticks has increased over time as urban populations spread out and homes are surrounded by more wooded and less developed areas that typically have more wildlife.
“Our weather hasn’t helped either,” sighed Flores, director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. “With warmer winters — not experiencing hard freezes for longer periods of time — the variation of ticks flourishes.”
Flores said caregivers, camp counselors, parents and the like have a bounty of options to help prevent tick exposure and bites:
- Avoid heavily wooded, high grass and leaf-littered areas.
- Wear light-colored, protective clothing such as long sleeves and pants.
- Treat clothing and camping gear with permethrin, an insecticide. Permethrin-treated items can also be purchased. These items provide protection after multiple washings.
- Use EPA-registered insect repellants containing DEET. Follow directions on age limitations.
- Check clothing, body and pets for ticks once indoors.
- Tumble clothes on high heat to kill insects.
- If clothes need washing first, use hot water.
- Shower within two hours of being indoors to reduce tick attachment.
Flores said for most, a tick bite will only cause minor skin irritation, but sometimes the bite leads to infections.
“If you find a tick attached to skin, use a pair of pointy tweezers to grasp it and pull straight up. Avoid twisting,” he directed. “Then wash the skin and clean with alcohol. Save the tick in a baggy or take a picture of it if needed for identifying purposes later.
“Ninety-nine percent of the time, all will be fine. But once a tick is attached for more than a day or two, there is more risk for bacteria and virus exposure. The incubation period can be up to a couple of weeks after a bite.”
Fever, rash, headache and achy muscles and joints are signs that the bite may require medical attention.
Four tick-borne illnesses, listed below, are most common in Tennessee, and are easily treated with antibiotics.
While a frequent worry among people bitten by ticks, Lyme disease remains rare in Tennessee.
- spotted fever rickettsiosis,
- ehrlichiosis,
- anaplasmosis and
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
“Basically, we shouldn’t let little creepy, crawly things ruin our outdoor experience, and with a little preparation we can prevent illness caused by ticks,” said Flores.
For additional information about ticks in Tennessee visit: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/vector-borne-diseases/tick-borne-diseases/preventing-and-removing-ticks.html.
