LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Warmer weather is here, bringing people out of their homes to shake off the winter cold. However, family and pets are not the only ones enjoying the outdoors. Ticks are active and abundant on and around Langley, waiting to attach themselves to unsuspecting victims.
Expect to find these disease-transmitting critters living in moist and humid environments, such as wooded and grassy areas. Do not let yourself be a victim. Make yourself, your family and pets hard targets by following these simple tips:
· Wear light-colored clothing, which will allow you to see ticks crawling on your clothing.
· Tuck pant legs into socks so ticks cannot crawl inside of pant legs.
· Use repellent containing at least 20 percent DEET (N, N-Diethyl-m-toluamide) on skin or clothing to discourage tick attachment. However, DEET is only effective for a few hours. Products containing permetherin can be used to treat boots, clothes or camping gear, as it lasts through several washings. Prevention is the best method of avoiding disease.
· Check your entire body upon return from potentially tick-infested areas. Remove ticks you find on your body.
The proper procedures of removing ticks are as follows:
1. Use fine-tipped tweezers or blunt forceps. Avoid removing ticks with bare hands.
2. Grasp the tick's mouthparts as close to the skin surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure.
3. Do not squeeze, twist or puncture the body of the tick; this may cause infective body fluids of the tick to flow through the mouthparts and into the wound, or it may cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin causing secondary infection.
4. Do not apply products such as petroleum jelly, alcohol, or smother it with lotions. These substances are ineffective and will only agitate the tick and cause it to escape.
5. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water.
6. Save the tick by placing it in a plastic bag or small jar. Report to Public Health in order to send the tick off for lab testing. (Proper testing can only be accomplished if the tick is alive.)
One common disease carried by ticks is Lyme disease, transmitted by the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis. The classic initial appearance is a small red spot that expands producing a "bull's eye." Symptoms of Lyme disease include: fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash. Treatment consists of antibiotics for several weeks. Make an appointment with your health care provider to get checked if needed.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever also occasionally occurs and is transmitted by the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. All ticks must be attached for 4-6 hours before transmitting disease agents. If symptoms such as high fever, nausea and red rashes on extremities appear after a tick bite, seek medical attention right away.
For more information visit,
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/tick-borne/ or call the Public Health Office at 764-5252.