JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Tick season is in full force and prevention is the best
option to reduce the risk.
With JBLE as a hub for critical training units and flying
missions , Soldiers and Airmen need to be prepared when it comes to protecting
themselves against pests.
The U.S. Army Public Health Center Tick-Borne Disease
Laboratory, which oversees the testing for pathogens in ticks for the
Langley-Eustis area have some good news.
“By
far the most common tick in the Langley-Eustis area is the Lone Star Tick,
which does not transmit Lyme disease,” said Robyn M. Nadolny, PhD Biologist.
“However, there is still some risk for Lyme and other tick-borne pathogens at
Langley and Eustis.”
There are five types of ticks that are common in the
Virginia and Peninsula regions:
-
Blacklegged Tick, which can transmit Lyme
disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and the incurable Powassan Disease.
In the past 10 years JBLE has had 587 human-biting ticks submitted for identification
and pathogen testing.
All tick biting cases that were reported as positive were by military personnel. It is important to note, however, that an infected tick
does not necessarily indicate disease transmission has occurred.
There have been approximately 75 cases of the Powassan
Virus reported in the last 10 years, according to the Center for Disease
Control . If a service member or a member of their family believes they have
symptoms of Powassan, they should contact their local physician immediately.
Ticks cannot jump or fly, they are found near the ground,
in brushy or wooded areas. Instead, they wait for a potential host to brush
against them, climb onto the host and seek a site for attachment.
If found, they need to be removed right away by using fine
tipped tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
This will help increase chances of removing the tick head and all.
There are five tips in prevention that the CDC suggests
to help fight the tick battle:
-
Use repellent that contains 20 percent or
more DEET, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours. While
also using products that contain 0.5 percent permethrin on clothing and gear,
such as boots, pants, socks and tents. Additional repellent options are
available. For more information, see http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect/.
-
Treat your dogs and cats for ticks as
recommended by a veterinarian, checking daily for any ticks before bringing
them in from the outdoors.
-
Check yourself and others for ticks daily,
especially under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button,
behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist and on the hairline and
scalp.
-
Shower soon after being outdoors to release
any ticks that may still be on your body.
Tick
and bugs bites will still happen, service members and their families should following
prevention measures to reduce the risk of infection or contracting a disease.
Again, if a service member or their family believes they are suffering from
symptoms of a tick or any other pest-borne illness, they should contact their local
physician immediately.
For
more information regarding Tick prevention or any other pests, visit the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov, or
contact your local base Environmental Department.