Understanding ticks and tickborne diseases

As summer is upon us, it’s important to be aware of the risks associated with tick bites and the potential for contracting tick-borne diseases. In the United States, ticks are most active during these warmer months, and understanding how to prevent and handle tick bites is important for maintaining health.
Ticks like wooded areas and high grasses. Paying attention if you walk in these areas will help you be aware of the possibility of tick bites. If you hike trails, try to stay in the center away from fallen foliage and brush.
Sometimes you might be able to find the tick that has bitten you. If this happens and you’re able to find and remove the tick, you can photograph the tick and your healthcare provider can identify the specific type of tick. This will help to know if it’s the kind that spreads disease.
Ticks can get onto any part of your body, but they move to their preferred places, which is usually a place with soft skin and plenty of blood. For people, this means your scalp and neck; between your legs; legs, especially behind your knees; in your belly button; in your ears or around them; under your arms, and around your waist.
The main ticks of concern in Wyoming and the Bighorn Basin are the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, and Dog ticks.
Apart from the more well-known Lyme disease, ticks can transmit other illnesses such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and babesiosis. Taking antibiotics to prevent these diseases is generally not recommended. Instead, individuals who experience a tick bite should be vigilant for symptoms of tickborne illnesses and should seek medical attention if any concerning symptoms develop such as rash, fever, malaise, or flu-like symptoms, as these could be indicative of a tickborne illness.
If you experience a tick bite, the best way to remove it is by taking the following steps:
• Tug gently but firmly with blunt tweezers near the head of the tick at the level of your skin until it releases its hold on your skin.
• Avoid crushing the tick’s body or handling the tick with bare fingers as you could expose yourself to the bacteria in the tick.
• Wash the bite area thoroughly with soap and water.
• Do not use kerosene, petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline®) or hot cigarette butts to remove the tick.
• Do not squeeze the tick’s body with your fingers or tweezers.
Remember that testing patient-retrieved ticks for infection is not recommended. The presence of a pathogen in a tick does not necessarily predict disease in the exposed individual, and negative testing may provide false reassurance.
Here are some important tips for preventing tick bites:
1. Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to spot.
2. Tuck your pants into your socks and use insect repellent to deter ticks.
3. Perform thorough head-to-toe checks for ticks on yourself, children, and pets after being in potentially tick-infested areas.
4. If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove it using blunt, medium-tipped, angled forceps as soon as possible. Clean the bite area with an antiseptic solution and monitor for any signs of local illness.
By being proactive and informed, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the potential harm associated with tick bites and tickborne diseases.
(Christopher Robertson, MD, is the chief of staff at Three Rivers Health.)