Ticks: Reducing exposure best defense

By 1st Lt. Kyle Fortner, Environmental Science and Engineering OfficerJuly 30, 2015

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FORT LEE, Va. (July 30, 2015) -- Reducing exposure to ticks is the best defense against Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other tick-borne illnesses.

It's important to be fully prepared with the knowledge to live a life free from annoying tick bites or debilitating diseases. This article will educate individuals on how ticks and the diseases they carry work, how their bites can be prevented and what actions to take if bitten.

Lyme disease is the best-known ailment resulting from tick bites, but not all of the insects carry the germ. In fact, most ticks in the Fort Lee area are Lone Star Ticks and carry other diseases, such as Human Monocytotropic Ehrlichiosis.

Nearly all tick-borne disease have many of the same symptoms -- fevers, chills, aches and pains, and rashes around the bite location. Symptoms of HME generally appear after 7-to-10 days.

Although these are referred to as tick-borne diseases, the insects are actually born pathogen free. All vector-borne diseases -- those transmitted to humans by anthropoids -- have similar disease life cycles.

The parasite needs a blood meal in order to develop and reproduce. The vector feeds on an organism infected with a blood-borne pathogen, which is called the disease reservoir. If it feeds on a human for its next meal, then that person will likely acquire the pathogen and become ill. Not all organisms are infected, therefore, not all vectors carry diseases.

Ticks have specialized saliva that numbs the bite area and acts as a cementing agent, which is how they can get such a firm grip on a person's skin. If the tick is infected, the bacteria take approximately 24 hours to "reactivate" and get in the tick's saliva. This is good news because it means that a tick must be actively feeding on you for several hours to transmit a disease.

The best way to prevent tick bites is the DOD insect repellent system, and service members have it. That's right, it's in the military member's uniform! A properly worn uniform is the best defense against ticks. Make sure trouser legs are tucked inside boots. All uniforms sold now are pre-treated with permethrin, which is a pesticide that kills ticks on contact. Apply a DEET-based insect repellant to any exposed skin to stay tick-proof. If this parasite cannot bite a person, it will not infect them.

Off-duty service members, civilians and their families can use the same principles to tick-proof themselves as well. Always wear long pants when in wooded or brushy areas and tuck them into high-top boots or long socks. Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily spotted and brushed off. Additionally, there are commercially available permethrin treatment kits that may be purchased to turn clothing into a tick resistant armor.

If bitten and the tick has fully attached itself, remove it carefully with fine point tweezers. Do not burn, apply petroleum jelly, or utilize any other mythical home remedies because there is no substitute for the following proper procedure.

First, disinfect the surrounding area with an alcohol swab. Next, place tweezers as close to the skin as possible and grasp the tick firmly. Pull straight up slowly until the tick either comes out or breaks.

The infectious material is much further back in the tick's body, so there is no reason to fret if the head breaks off during removal. After removing the tick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people thoroughly clean the bite area and their hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

After removal, keep the tick in a clean plastic bag and store it in a cool, dry place like a refrigerator. Make an appointment with a primary care provider to have the tick identified and tested for any diseases.

Ticks that have not broken the skin or found on pets will not be tested.

For more information including tick removal instructional videos, visit www.tickencounter.org or www.cdc.gov/dpdx.