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Evidence indicates that tick season is with us. A number of students came back from vacation with tick bites, and some actually had ticks on them. Here is some basic information to help deal with these pests.

There are two types of ticks we are most frequently concerned with here in New England, the dog tick and the deer tick. The dog tick is the larger of the two- it can be up to 1/2 inch long. It is dark brown with brownish-red legs. These ticks can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The deer tick is smaller. At the nymph stage, which is when this tick is thought to be most responsible for carrying Lyme disease, it is the size of a pinhead. The deer tick is reddish with black legs. Both ticks like to live in the woods, close to the ground, where they can jump on passing people and animals.

The mouth of a tick has reverse harpoon-like barbs which attach to the skin. It also secretes a cement-like substance that helps it adhere to their host. If discovered, a tick must be removed right away, as the risk of transmitting an infection increases in 24-72 hours. Removal should be done by an adult using clean tweezers, grasping the tick as closely as possible to where it is attached to the skin, and slowly pulling it straight out. Look carefully to make sure the entire tick has been removed. The area should then be cleansed with soap and water. The remover’s hands also need to be washed thoroughly. The tick should be saved in a vial of alcohol in case complications develop and it needs to be identified. Call your health care provider to see if they recommend further treatment. There is disagreement over what to do if part of the tick remains embedded- again, call your health care provider for advice. Do not try and smother the tick (with something like petroleum jelly or nail polish) because besides being ineffective this is thought to cause the tick to secrete more into its host.

The site of the tick bite must be observed for several weeks. If there is pain, swelling or redness, it could be infected. If a “Bull’s Eye” rash develops- that is, a white center surrounded by red, it could be a symptom of Lyme disease. Any of these symptoms, or the development of any rash, fever, headache, lethargy, muscle pain, stiff neck, or joint pain, should be reported to your health care provider. If it is determined that Lyme Disease or another bacterial disease has developed, antibiotic therapy will be initiated. The prognosis is very good if treatment is begun promptly.

Of course, the best way to avoid tick related problems is prevention. Wear light colored clothing in the woods so ticks can easily be spotted crawling on you. Wear long pants tucked into the socks, long sleeves, and hats with hair tucked in when visiting the woods. Remove clothes that have been worn in the woods and wash and dry them before ticks can crawl to other areas in the home. Conduct a full body search, including the scalp, after being in a wooded area. Check pets as well.

Pictures of ticks and the “Bull’s Eye” rash are displayed on the Nursing Office Bulletin Board. You can view ticks on the web at Dog tick and Deer tick. A picture showing their relative sizes can be seen at www.lymenet.org/picture1.shtml. If you’d like to see pictures of the “Bull’s Eye” rash, go to www.lymenet.org/picture4.shtml. Another good web site that gives information and action instructions on tick removal is Kidshealth.
 
Poison ivy rashes have also made their appearance this spring. Pictures of this plant are on the bulletin board. Check out the article I wrote last spring about poison ivy .

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