Spring is a very beautiful season. While we rejoice over warmer temperatures, green trees, and blooming flowers, we also agonize about the return of unwanted pests. Among our most loathed parasites are vectors, living things that can transmit infectious microbes to us. Many species of ticks can spread several infectious diseases as well as cause the development of an allergy known as alpha-gal. Ticks are eight-legged mites
that require a blood meal to grow to their next life stage and can be found throughout the year at various life stages and sizes. When they bite, they typically remain attached for a couple of days or until they’re pulled off. These tiny hitchhikers in Sullivan County can transmit many infectious diseases to humans, including Lyme disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi), ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia). Because these infections are caused by bacteria, they are treatable with a course of antibiotics.
The blacklegged tick is the primary carrier of Lyme disease, caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. Rodents are typically carriers of these bacteria and are the most common source of the first blood meal for a newly hatched tick larva in the springtime. After that blood meal, the tick grows into its next life stage, the nymph. Because they are still much smaller than adults and much more difficult to see, they can remain
attached to the skin for a longer period. A tick is unlikely to transmit bacteria to its host until it has been attached for at least 24 hours. These larvae and nymphs are usually found in the spring and early summer. Symptoms can appear up to 30 days after a tick bite. The most well-known characteristic of Lyme disease is an erythema migrans or “bull’s-eye” skin rash, but it is only experienced by 70-80% of patients with Lyme
disease. Other symptoms include those like the flu: fever, chills, fatigue, and muscle or joint aches. Lyme disease is treated with a course of antibiotics, but some patients may experience post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) for months. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is considered one of the most serious and commonly reported spotted fever diseases. Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted by the American dog tick. Symptoms, including fever, severe headache, malaise, edema, GI symptoms, and rash, can appear within 3-12 days after a tick bite. If left untreated, symptoms can progress to altered mental status, respiratory compromise, limb necrosis, and multiorgan system damage.
The lone star tick transmits ehrlichiosis. Flu-like symptoms appear 1-2 weeks after a tick bite. There is evidence that another condition is associated with the lone star tick. Alpha-gal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening allergy that the immune system develops to target a specific sugar molecule in the tick’s saliva. Unfortunately, this sugar molecule is also found in most mammals so people who develop Alpha-gal from a tick bite will experience a range of allergic symptoms when they are exposed to red meat, dairy, and other animal products. So what can you do? The first step in preventing tick bites and tick-borne illnesses is to
identify where ticks can be found. Ticks love our Indiana humidity and are often waiting in tall grass to grab onto a host walking by. Exposures to ticks often occur in grassy or wooded areas but we can even find them in our own neighborhoods and backyards.
Brush piles provide mice with cozy places to live, and as we already know, mice are often the first hosts of larval ticks. Once you have determined that you will be entering a tick habitat, there are several things you can do to prepare. Clothing and outdoor gear can be treated with 0.5% permethrin. This chemical must be allowed to dry before handling, as this chemical can be harmful to human skin and to our pets. Permethrin remains protective through several washings as well. EPA-registered repellents are also helpful right before going outside. IDOH sites DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of eucalyptus as effective tick repellents for adults and older children. You can also wear light colored clothing to see ticks more easily. Tucking your shirt into your pants and pant legs into socks or boots reduces the amount of exposed skin. Check your body for ticks soon after you come back indoors. Ticks are often found, but not limited to, the following areas:
- In and around the hair
- In and around the ears
- Underarms
- Around the waist
- Inside the belly button
- Between the legs
- Behind the knees
If a tick is found attached to the skin, remove it as quickly as possible. Using tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward. Then thoroughly clean the site and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Dispose of the tick by placing it in alcohol, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Ticks are part of the landscape, but they don’t have to ruin your time outdoors. While
ticks are considered a great nuisance, they are also vectors of infectious diseases. With a little preparation and prevention, you can keep your adventures safe and tick-free. Just don’t forget to do a quick tick check before you call it a day.
If you have been bitten by a tick within the last few weeks and are experiencing symptoms, the knowledgeable and skilled providers of Sullivan County Community Hospital clinics are prepared to evaluate, test, and treat tick-borne disease.
More information on ticks and related diseases can be found on the Indiana Department of Health website. IDOH analyzes tick-borne diseases per county and updates their surveillance dashboard to keep Hoosiers informed of trend and spread.
https://www.in.gov/health/idepd/zoonotic-and-vectorborne-epidemiology-
entomology/vector-borne-diseases/tick-borne-diseases/