Press Release
| For More Information Contact: | For Release: |
| Julie Armstrong, Health Educator | Date: 5-21-01 |
| Phone: (937) 642-2053 | |
| Fax: (937) 642-2080 |
Protecting Your Family from Ticks
As school ends, kids and families head outdoors and are exposed to ticks and other parasites. Ticks are not only pests they also have the potential to carry diseases. The Union County Health Department offers the following information on protecting your family and pets from ticks.
Ticks are commonly fond in overgrown vacant lots, fallow farm fields, along weedy roadsides, and at the edges of paths and hiking trails. In the Spring and Summer, adult dog ticks wait on vegetation for a suitable host to pass by. When a person brushes against vegetation, the tick will cling to skin or clothing and begin to crawl upwards, seeking a place to attach and take a blood meal.
The most common tick-borne disease in Ohio is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a disease transmitted by the American dog tick, which is the most common tick in Ohio. Persons of any age can get RMSF, but most patients are under 20 years of age. The peak season for ticks and RMSF is between May 1 and July 31 each year.
The symptoms of RMSF usually appear 3-12 days after a tick has made contact. There is a sudden onset of symptoms that include: fever, headache and aching muscles. A rash usually develops on the wrists and ankles on the second or 3rd day of the fever. The rash then spreads to involve the rest of the body, including the palms and soles. It is important to receive the appropriate antibiotic treatment as soon as possible if spotted fever is suspected. If spotted fever is recognized and treated early, there is usually a rapid recovery.
Spotted fever is usually transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. However, only 2/3 of all patients can recall a tick bite. Some patients only report contact with a crawling tick, or with a tick-infested dog. Spotted fever may be acquired from body fluids of an infected tick coming into contact with broken skin. Removal of ticks from dogs may be particularly hazardous in this regard.
Dogs that are allowed to run loose may bring ticks from fields into your home and yard. Tick can also transmit RMSF to dogs. Dogs should be kept tied up or penned in a well-mowed area during tick season (April-August). Check your dog daily for ticks and using treatments tick control dips or dusts can reduce your pet’s exposure to ticks.
Lyme disease is another tick-borne illness carried by the black-legged tick. The black-legged tick is rare in Ohio and the lyme disease organism has not been proven to be established in Ohio. Persons in tick-infested areas should be alert for a red, ring-like rash with a diameter of greater than 2 inches developing 3-32 days after a tick bite. Fever and headache may also be present. As with RMSF it is important to seek immediate antibiotic therapy from a physician to reduce the risk of complications.
Reduce your risk to RMSF and Lyme disease by following these precautions:
 | Avoid tick infested areas |
| If exposure to tick-infested areas is unavoidable, tuck pants into socks or boots. |
| Wear light colored clothing to more easily find crawling ticks. |
| Use repellents on clothing and exposed skin. |
| Make frequent inspections for ticks, especially children |
| Use caution when handling ticks |
| Check clothing for crawling ticks after exposure |
| Keep yard and play areas well mowed to discourage tick infestation |
| Save the tick to have it identified. The identification can be shown to your physician in the event of an illness. |
If a tick has attached to you, remove it as soon as possible to reduce the risk of becoming exposed to RMSF or Lyme disease. Remove a tick by following these steps:
| Shield fingers with a paper towel or use tweezers. |
| Grasp the tick close to the skin and with steady pressure, and pull straight out. |
| Do not twist or jerk the tick, as this may cause the mouth parts to be left in the skin. |
| Do not use a hot match to remove the tick because the tick might burst allowing the infected tick body fluid to possibly come in contact with broken kin, mouth or eyes. |
| After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash hands with soap and water. |
| Ticks can be safely disposed of by placing them in a container of oil or alcohol. |
For more information or to have a tick identified, contact the Union County Health Department at (937) 642-2053 or 1-888-333-9461 for non-local calls.