If you have been following this article, you know that we have covered our summer “pest” insects like wasps, fleas, and chiggers over the last few weeks. Now, we are finishing with the king of all the creepy-crawlies.
There is one bug native to Mississippi that is almost universally hated and revolting to the entire population: the tick. Let me begin by saying that I even find the word “tick” disgusting. Nevertheless, despising something doesn’t make it go away and with hunters flocking to the woods in the next few months, it is necessary to think about them.
To state the obvious, ticks are small, spider-like creatures that live in the fur or feathers of wildlife. Though you can see them any time of year, they are most commonly spotted in the early spring or late summer in areas where many wild animals live.
The good news is that most ticks don’t carry diseases and won’t cause you any serious harm. If you are bitten by one, you might encounter the problem of removing them as they can become quite ingrained in the skin. My recommendation is to use a pair of tweezers to remove it. Try and pull straight away while avoiding any twisting.
Do not smother the tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish or rubbing alcohol. This can increase your risk of infection. Consider this: if the tick is latched onto you, it is already accessing your blood stream. Anything that you put on it in an effort to get it to release could ultimately end up in the wound and cause problems. After removal, wash the area with clean, warm water. You might also consider placing the tick in a zip-lock bag and freezing it for identification in case you develop any symptoms later.
There are two infections that you must worry about in transmission from a tick bite. The first is Lyme Disease, a sickness caused by ticks carrying the bacterium Borrelia Burgdorderi. Lyme disease has a rather distinctive “bullseye” expanding rash at the site of the bite.
Other symptoms include flu-like feeling, chills, fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. If the infection is not caught in the early stages, it can spread to other areas of the body and cause significant damage. Other rashes may occur
and facial-muscle paralysis (Bell’s Palsy) can be evident. The good news is that most Lyme Disease cases can be treated early on with aggressive antibiotics. Even later stages can sometimes be cured with longer-term IV medications.
The other common bacterial infection associated with tick bites is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. RMSF is difficult to find in the first few days of an infection because it mimics so many other illnesses. Initial symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and muscle aches. What separates it from other illnesses is the red, non-itchy rash that usually appears on the wrist and ankles and spreads towards the palms and soles of the feet.
The rashes associated with RMSF quite literally make the patient look “spotted.” Once again, this can be treated with early detection and an antibiotic regimen such as Doxycycline.
The best cure for any tick bite is a little prevention. If possible, walk in the center of trails in wooded areas. Consider using a repellent that contains DEET or picaridin on exposed skins. Bathe or shower soon after coming in from the woods and inspect your body for any hitchhikers. And look everywhere.
Like that utterly disgusting Brad Paisley song that came out several years ago says about ticks: “You never know where one might be.” Stay safe out there.
If there is a topic that you would like me to explore, please drop me a line at eric.williams@jcjc.edu. Stay safe out there.
