Ticks - Tick News, Tick Education, Tick Trivia and More!: June 2012

This information is from the website of the CDC (Center for Disease Control).

Preventing Tick Bites

While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, be extra vigilant in warmer months (April-September) when ticks are most active.

Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks

Avoid wooded & bushy areas with high grass & leaf litter.

Walk in the center of trails.

Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin

Use repellents that contain 20% or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on the exposed skin for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, & mouth.

Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing & gear, such as boots, pants, socks & tents. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available & remains protective for up to 70 washings.

Other repellents registered by the EPA may be found at

http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect

On Humans:

Find & Remove Ticks from Your Body

Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within 2 hours) to wash off & more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.

Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check children for ticks under arms, in & around ears, inside navel, behind knees, between legs, around waist, & especially in hair.

Examine gear & pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing & pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, & day packs. Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks.

On Pets:

Preventing Ticks on Your Pets

Dogs are very susceptible to tick bites & tickborne diseases. Vaccines aren't available for all the tickborne diseases that dogs can get, & they don’t keep the dogs from bringing ticks into your home. For these reasons, it’s important to use a tick preventive product on your dog.

Tick bites on dogs may be hard to detect. Signs of tickborne disease may not appear for 7-21 days or longer after a tick bite, so watch your dog closely for changes in behavior or appetite if you suspect that your pet was bitten by a tick.

To reduce chances that a tick will transmit disease to you or your pets:

Check pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors.

If you find a tick on your dog, remove it immediately.

Ask your vet to conduct a tick check at each exam.

Talk to your vet about tickborne diseases in your area.

Reduce tick habitat in your yard.

Talk with your vet about using tick preventives on your pet.

Note: Cats are extremely sensitive to a variety of chemicals. Don't apply any insect acaricides or repellents to cats without first consulting your vet!

Preventing Ticks in the Yard

Apply Pesticides Outdoors to Control Ticks

Pesticides for ticks, known as acaricides, can reduce the number of ticks in your yard. These benefits have been best-studied for Ixodes scapularis (the black-legged tick), & include:

Consistent & timely pest control

Easy to apply

Relatively inexpensive

Safe if applied according to the label

Only small amounts of acaricide applied at the right time of year are necessary. Application should focus on control of nymphal I. scapularis ticks, the stage most likely to transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, & babesiosis, by spraying once in May or early June.

An October application of acaricide may be used to control adult blacklegged ticks, however, they less commonly transmit disease. The use & timing of acaricides to control other ticks of public health concern is less well studied, but may still be helpful.

If you have health concerns about applying acaricides:

Check with local health or agricultural officials about the best time to apply acaricide in your area.

Identify rules & regulations related to pesticide application on residential properties (EPA & your state determine the availability of pesticides).

Consider using a professional pesticide company to apply pesticides at your home.

Create a Tick-safe Zone to Reduce Ticks in the Yard

Here are some simple landscaping techniques that can help reduce tick populations:

Remove leaf litter.

Clear tall grasses & brush around homes & at the edge of lawns.

Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns & wooded areas to restrict tick migration into recreational areas.

Mow lawn often.

Stack wood neatly & in a dry area (discourages rodents).

Keep playground equipment, decks, & patios away from yard edges & trees.

Discourage unwelcome animals (such as deer, raccoons, & stray dogs) from entering yard by installing fences.

Remove old furniture, mattresses, or trash from yard that may give ticks a place to hide.

Kill Ticks on Dogs

A pesticide product that kills ticks is known as an acaricide. Acaricides that can be used on dogs include dusts, impregnated collars, sprays, or topical treatments. Some acaricides kill the tick on contact. Others may be absorbed into a dog's bloodstream & kill ticks that attach & feed.

Pros:

Helps to reduce the number of ticks in environment

Prevents tickborne disease

Cons:

Tick bites can cause a painful wound & may become infected.

When bitten, a dog may become infected with a number of diseases. This depends on type of tick, which diseases it is carrying (if any), & how quickly a product kills the feeding tick.

Examples of topically applied products (active ingredients):

Fipronil

Pyrethroids (permethrin, etc.)

Amitraz

Repel Ticks on Dogs

A repellent product may prevent the tick from coming into contact with an animal at all or have anti-feeding effects once the tick comes into contact with the chemical, thus preventing a bite.

Pros:

Prevents bite wounds & possible resulting infections

Prevents tickborne disease

Cons:

Won't reduce number of ticks in environment (doesn't kill ticks)

Examples of topically applied products (active ingredients):

Pyrethroids (permethrin, etc.)

Tick Removal

If you find a tick attached to your skin, there's no need to panic. There are several tick removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers will remove a tick quite effectively.

How to remove a tick

* Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.

* Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off & remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you're unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone & let the skin heal.

* After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area & your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap & water.

Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible--not waiting for it to detach.

Symptoms of Tickborne Illness

Many tickborne diseases can have similar signs & symptoms. If you've been bitten by a tick & develop symptoms below within a few weeks, a health care provider should evaluate the following before deciding on a course of treatment:

Your symptoms

The geographic region in which you were bitten

Diagnostic tests, if indicated by symptoms & region where you were bitten

The most common symptoms of tick-related illnesses are:

Fever/chills: With all tickborne diseases, patients can experience fever at varying degrees & time of onset.

Aches & pains: Tickborne disease symptoms include headache, fatigue, & muscle aches. With Lyme disease you may also experience joint pain. The severity & time of onset of these symptoms can depend on the disease & patient's personal tolerance level.

Rash: Lyme disease, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, & tularemia can result in distinctive rashes:

In Lyme disease, the rash may appear within 3-30 days, typically before the onset of fever. The Lyme disease rash is the first sign of infection & is usually a circular rash called erythema migrans or EM. This rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of infected persons & begins at the site of a tick bite. It may be warm, but isn't usually painful. Some patients develop additional EM lesions in other areas of the body several days later.

The rash of (STARI) is nearly identical to that of Lyme disease, with a red, expanding "bulls eye" lesion that develops around the site of a lone star tick bite. Unlike Lyme disease, STARI hasn't been linked to any arthritic or neurologic symptoms.

The rash seen with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) varies greatly from person to person in appearance, location, & time of onset. About 10% of people with RMSF never develop a rash. Most often, the rash begins 2-5 days after the onset of fever as small, flat, pink, non-itchy spots (macules) on the wrists, forearms, & ankles & spreads to the trunk. It sometimes involves the palms & soles. The red to purple, spotted (petechial) rash of RMSF is usually not seen until the 6th day or later after onset of symptoms & occurs in 35-60% of patients with the infection.

In the most common form of tularemia, a skin ulcer appears at the site where the organism entered the body. The ulcer is accompanied by swelling of regional lymph glands, usually in the armpit or groin.

In about 30% of patients (& up to 60% of children), ehrlichiosis can cause a rash. The appearance of the rash ranges from macular to maculopapular to petechial, & may appear after the onset of fever.

Tickborne diseases can result in mild symptoms treatable at home to severe infections requiring hospitalization. Although easily treated with antibiotics, these diseases can be difficult for physicians to diagnose. However, early recognition & treatment of the infection decreases the risk of serious complications. So see your doctor immediately if you have been bitten by a tick & experience any of the symptoms described here.

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"Target" lesion on patient with Lyme disease (LOOKS LIKE A TARGET WITH A BULLSEYE).

Late (petechial) rash on hand & forearm in patient with RMSF.

Patient with STARI.

Site of tick bite

Red, radial, expanding edge of rash

Central clearing

Ulcer caused by tularemia.

Tick paralysis is a rare disease thought to be caused by a toxin in tick saliva. The symptoms include acute, ascending, flaccid paralysis that is often confused with other neurologic disorders or diseases (e.g., Guillain-Barré syndrome or botulism). Within 24 hours of removing the tick, the paralysis typically subsides.

SPECIES & DISTRIBUTION OF TICKS IN THE U.S.

The American Dog Tick

American Dog Tick distribution

American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is the most commonly identified species responsible for transmitting Rickettsia rickettsii, which causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever in humans. The American dog tick can also transmit tularemia. This tick is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains and also occurs in limited areas on the Pacific Coast. D. variabilis larvae & nymphs feed on small rodents. Dogs and medium-sized mammals are the preferred hosts of adult D. variabilis, although it feeds readily on other large mammals, including humans.

Blacklegged Tick

Blacklegged Tick Distribution

The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), commonly known as a "deer tick", can transmit the organisms responsible for anaplasmosis, babesiosis, & Lyme disease. This tick is widely distributed in the northeastern & upper midwestern U.S. I. scapularis larvae & nymphs feed on small mammals & birds, while adults feed on larger mammals & will bite humans on occasion. It is important to note that the pathogen that causes Lyme disease is maintained by wild rodent & other small mammal reservoirs, & isn't transmitted everywhere that the blacklegged tick lives. In some regions, particularly in the southern U.S., the tick has very different feeding habits that make it an unlikely vector in the spread of human disease.

Brown Dog Tick

Brown Dog Tick Distribution

The brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) has recently been identified as a reservoir of R. rickettsii, causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever, in the southwestern U.S. & along the U.S-Mexico border. Brown dog ticks are found throughout the U.S. & the world. Dogs are the primary host for the brown dog tick for each of its life stages, although the tick may also bite humans or other mammals.

Gulf Coast Tick

Gulf Coast tick Distribution

The Gulf Coast tick resides in coastal areas of the U.S. along the Atlantic coast & the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Coast tick can transmit Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, a form of spotted fever. A. maculatum larvae & nymphs feed on birds & small rodents, while adult ticks feed on deer & other wildlife. Adult ticks have been associated with transmission of R. parkeri to humans.

Lone Star Tick

Lone Star tick distribution

The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) transmits Ehrlichia chaffeensis & Ehrlichia ewingii, causing human ehrlichiosis, tularemia, & STARI. The lone star tick is primarily found in the southeastern & eastern U.S. White-tailed deer are a major host of lone star ticks & appear to represent one natural reservoir for E. chaffeensis. A. americanum larvae & nymphs feed on birds & deer. Both nymphal & adult ticks may be associated with the transmission of pathogens to humans.

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick

Rocky Mountain Wood tick distribution

Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever & tularemia to humans. This tick is found in the Rocky Mountain states. Adult ticks feed primarily on large mammals. Larvae & nymphs feed on small rodents. Adult ticks are primarily associated with pathogen transmission to humans.

Western Blacklegged Tick

Western Blacklegged tick distribution

The western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) can transmit the organisms responsible for causing anaplasmosis & Lyme disease in humans. Wild rodents & other mammals are likely reservoirs of these pathogens. This tick is distributed along the Pacific coast of the U.S. Larvae & nymphs feed on birds & small rodents, while adult ticks feed on deer & other mammals. Adult ticks are primarily associated with pathogen transmission to humans.

How ticks find their hosts

Ticks find their hosts by detecting animals´ breath & body odors, or by sensing body heat, moisture, & vibrations. Some species can even recognize a shadow. In addition, ticks pick a place to wait by identifying well-used paths. Then they wait for a host, resting on the tips of grasses & shrubs. Ticks can't fly or jump, but many tick species wait in a position known as "questing".

While questing, ticks hold onto leaves & grass by their third and fourth pair of legs. They hold the first pair of legs outstretched, waiting to climb on to the host. When a host brushes the spot where a tick is waiting, it quickly climbs aboard. Some ticks will attach quickly & others will wander, looking for places like the ear, or other areas where the skin is thinner.

Tickborne Diseases of the U.S.

In the U.S., some ticks carry pathogens that can cause human disease, including:

* Anaplasmosis is transmitted to humans by tick bites primarily from the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern & upper midwestern U.S. & the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast.

* Babesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. Most human cases of babesiosis in the U.S. are caused by Babesia microti. Babesia microti is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) & is found primarily in the Northeast & upper Midwest.

* Ehrlichiosis is transmitted to humans by the lone star tick (Ambylomma americanum), found primarily in the southcentral & eastern U.S.

* Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern U.S. & upper Midwestern U.S. & the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast.

* Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis is transmitted to humans by the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum).

* Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is transmitted by the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni), & the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sangunineus) in the U.S. The brown dog tick & other tick species are associated with RMSF in Central & South America.

* STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness) is transmitted via bites from the lone star tick (Ambylomma americanum), found in the southeastern & eastern U.S.

* Tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected soft ticks. TBRF has been reported in 15 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, & Wyoming & is associated with sleeping in rustic cabins & vacation homes.

* Tularemia is transmitted to humans by the dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni), & the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Tularemia occurs throughout the U.S.

* 364D Rickettsiosis (Rickettsia phillipi, proposed) is transmitted to humans by the Pacific Coast tick (Dermacentor occidentalis ticks). This is a new disease that has been found in California.

LYME DISEASE

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi & is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, & a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, & the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), & the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; lab testing is helpful if used correctly & performed with validated methods. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, applying pesticides, & reducing tick habitat. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tickborne diseases as well.

Cases of Lyme Disease - Map - U.S.:

http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/ReportedCasesofLymeDisease.pdf

Confirmed Cases of Lyme Diasease for Year 2010

Alabama 1

Alaska 7

Arizona 2

Arkansas 0

California 126

Colorado 1

Connecticut 1964

Delaware 656

DC 34

Florida 56

Georgia 10

Hawaii 0

Idaho 6

Illinois 135

Indiana 62

Iowa 68

Kansas 7

Kentucky 5

Louisiana 2

Maine 559

Maryland 1163

Massachusetts 2380 Note: in 2009, they had 4019 confirmed cases!

Michigan 76

Minnesota 1293

Mississippi 0

Missouri 4

Montana 3

Nebraska 7

Nevada 2

New Hampshire 830

New Jersey 3320 Note: in 2009 they had 4598 confirmed cases!

New Mexico 3

New York 2385 Note: in 2009 they had 4134 confirmed cases & 5741 cases in 2008!!

North Carolina 21

North Dakota 21

Ohio 21

Oklahoma 0

Oregon 7

Pennsylvania 3298 Note: in 2009 they had 4950 confirmed cases!

Rhode Island 115

South Carolina 19

South Dakota 1

Tennessee 6

Texas 55

Utah 3

Vermont 271

Virginia 911

Washington 12

West Virginia 128

Wisconsin 2505 Note: In 2009 they had 1952 confirmed cases!

Wyoming 0

U.S. TOTAL: 22,561

http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/chartstables/reportedcases_statelocality.html

For Year 2010 -- the 12 States with the most significant amount of confirmed cases of Lyme Disease

New Jersey 3320 Note: in 2009 they had 4598 confirmed cases!

Pennsylvania 3298 Note: in 2009 they had 4950 confirmed cases!

Wisconsin 2505 Note: In 2009 they had 1952 confirmed cases!

New York 2385 Note: in 2009 they had 4134 confirmed cases & 5741 cases in 2008!!

Massachusetts 2380 Note: in 2009, they had 4019 confirmed cases!

Connecticut 1964

Minnesota 1293

Maryland 1163

Virginia 911

New Hampshire 830

Delaware 656

Maine 559

Vermont 271

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER (RMSF)

Statistics for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, & Missouri) account for over 60% of RMSF cases.

In eastern Arizona, RMSF cases have recently been identified in an area where the disease had not been previously seen. Through 2009, over 90 cases had been reported, & approximately 10% of the people diagnosed with the disease in this part of the state have died. The tick responsible for transmission of R. rickettii in Arizona is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which is found on dogs & around people’s homes. Almost all of the cases occurred within communities with a large number of free-roaming dogs.

Persons at Risk

The frequency of reported cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is highest among males, American Indians, & people aged 50-69. Individuals with frequent exposure to dogs & who reside near wooded areas or areas with high grass may be at increased risk of infection. Children ages 0-9 & American Indians have an increased risk of fatal outcome from RMSF.

Reporting & Surveillance

As of January 1, 2010, cases of RMSF are reported under a new category called Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever). This change was made to better reflect the scope of cases being reported under the previous heading of RMSF, as many of those cases weren't identified as being specifically caused by R. rickettsii. For more info on how to report cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever & other tick-borne Rickettsial diseases, visit the tick portal for State Health Departments: http://www.cdc.gov/ticks

Diagnosis & Management of Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, & Anaplasmosis – U.S.:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5504a1.htm

6/19/12

Tick Encounter . Org

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