Download Safety and Resources on Native Ticks and Tick– Borne Diseases

Diseases caused by Ticks
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF): Initial
symptoms may include high fever, severe headache,
muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
Symptoms that occur include a rash that may appear
two to six days after fever, abdominal pain, joint pain
and diarrhea. Rash usually starts as small, flat, pink
spots that do not itch on wrists and ankles. RMSF can
lead to heart, lung, or kidney failure, swelling of brain,
and death. Early treatment is important.
Enrlichiosis: The symptoms caused by infection with
these Ehrlichia species usually develop 1-2 weeks after
being bitten by an infected tick. The tick bite is usually
painless, and about half of the people who develop
Ehrlichiosis may not even remember being bitten by a
tick. The following is a list of symptoms commonly
seen with this disease, however, it is important to note
that the combination of symptoms varies greatly from
person to person. Fever, headache, chills, malaise,
muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhe, confusion,
conjunctival injection (red eyes), rash (in up to 60% of
children, less than 30% of adults), Ehrlichiosis is a
serious illness that can be fatal if not treated correctly,
even in previously healthy people. Severe clinical presentations may include difficulty breathing, or bleeding
disorders. The estimated case fatality rate (i.e. the proportion of persons who die as a result of their infection)
is 1.8%.
Lyme Disease: Early localized stage (3-30 days
post-tick bite) Symptoms incluse red, expanding
rash called erythema migrans (EM), fatigue, chills, fever,
headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph
nodes.Some people may get these general symptoms in
addition to an EM rash, but in others, these general symptoms may be the only evidence of infection. Some people
get a small bump or redness at the site of a tick bite that
goes away in 1-2 days, like a mosquito bite. This is not a
sign that you have Lyme disease. However, ticks can
spread other organisms that may cause a different type of
rash. The biggest sign of Lyme disease is the "bull'seye" rash. This rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of
infected persons1 and begins at the site of a tick bite after a
delay of 3-30 days (average is about 7 days). Rash gradually expands over a period of several days, and can reach
up to 12 inches (30 cm) across. Parts of the rash may clear
as it enlarges, resulting in a “bull's-eye” appearance. Rash
usually feels warm to the touch but is rarely itchy or painful. EM lesions may appear on any area of the body.
Southern Tick- associated rash illness (STARI): The symptoms of
STARI are indistinguishable from
those of Lyme disease.
If you have any of these symptoms
following a tick bite please go and
visit your primary care physician.
Safety and
Resources on
Native Ticks
and Tick–
Borne Diseases
Always follow product instructions. Parents
should apply this product to their children,
avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.
Where to find Ticks
Ticks are commonly found in shady
area, moist ground litter, tall grass,
brush, low tree branches, and along
trails in the woods. Ticks can also be
found in backyards that are close to
woods. If you spend time outside you
are at risk of being bit and catching a
tick-borne disease. Tick bites are
generally painless. Not all ticks carry
diseases, but if you see early signs of
symptoms of tick-borne diseases one
to four weeks after a tick bite or visiting a tick known habitats. Please go
and visit your doctor.
♦
♦
While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks yearround, be extra vigilant in warmer
months (April-September) when ticks
are most active.
♦
Bathe or shower as soon as possible after
coming indoors (preferably within two
hours) to wash off and 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 tickinfested areas. Parents should check their
children for ticks under the arms, in and
around the ears, inside the belly button,
behind the knees, between the legs, around
the waist, and especially in their hair.
Avoid Direct Contact w ith
Ticks
Avoid wooded and bushy areas with
high grass and leaf litter.
Walk in the center of trails.
Repel Ticks w ith DEET or
Per methrin
♦
Use repellents that contain 20%
or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-mtoluamide) on the exposed skin
for protection that lasts up to
several hours.
♦
American Dog
Use products that contain permethrin on
clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as
boots, pants, socks and tents. It remains
protective through several washings. Pretreated clothing is available and remains
protective for up to 70 washings.
Other repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be
found at http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/
insect/.
Find and Remove Ticks from Your
Body
Preventing Tick Bites
Types of Ticks
Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into
the home on clothing and pets, then attach
to a person later, so carefully examine pets,
coats, and day packs. Tumble clothes in a
dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks.
Lone Star
Black-Legged