Health Department - Ticks

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's): What are ticks? Where are ticks found? What does a tick bite feel like? What diseases do ticks carry? How do I remove a tick? What are the symptoms of tick-borne diseases? How do I prevent tick-borne diseases? Where can I find more information?

Photo of tick in human skin.	Tick bite on ankle - patient with Lyme disease

What are ticks?

Ticks are arachnids, the same classification which contains spiders and scorpions. There are many different species of ticks, varying in size and regions found. Young ticks, and some species of adult ticks, are very tiny - about the size of a freckle or the period at the end of this sentence.

Photo of engorged tick attached to a dog.	Adult tick crawling on a finger.

Where are ticks found?

Ticks live in woods, fields and brushy areas. They crawl onto animals and people from the tips of brush, grass and shrubs. Ticks can attach to any part of the body and they are commonly found attached to the lower extremities of humans due to the proximity to the ground.

What does a tick bite look and feel like?

A person bitten by a tick usually won't feel the bite at all. After the bite, a little redness may develop over the bite area.

What diseases do ticks carry?

A number of different species of ticks inhabit Northeast Ohio and these ticks can carry a variety of tickborne rickettsial diseases (TBRD). Some well known examples of tickborne deseases are Rocky Mountain Spotted fever (carried by the dog tick) and Lyme disease (carried by the black-legged, or "deer" tick.) While it is not possible to eradicate these pests, you can take precautions to limit your exposure. And in the event of an exposure, knowing what to do and when to seek medical attention can greatly decrease the odds of becoming seriously ill from one of these infectious diseases.

Tick removal:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers or notched tick extractor, and protect your fingers with a tissue, paper towel, or latex gloves. Persons should avoid removing ticks with bare hands.
2. Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this may cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. (If this happens, remove mouthparts with tweezers. Consult your health care provider if illness occurs.)
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water.
4. Do not squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick because its fluids may contain infectious organisms. Skin accidentally exposed to tick fluids can be disinfected with iodine scrub, rubbing alcohol, or water containing detergents.
5. Save the tick for identification in case you become ill. This may help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. Place the tick in a sealable plastic bag and put it in your freezer. Write the date of the bite on a piece of paper with a pencil and place it in the bag.

Tickborne disease symptoms:

Initial symptoms generally include fever, chills, severe headache, malaise, and muscle aches. Diarrhea might occasionally occur. Sensitivity to light might be observed in adult patients. The onset and severity of these and other symptoms depends on the specific disease. However, in all cases if you suspect you've become ill as a result of a tick bite you should immediately seek medical attention. A substantial number of patients with tick-borne (TBRD) diseases require hospitalization. Severe manifestations of these diseases may involve the respiratory system, central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, or renal system.

Prevention:

Limiting exposure to ticks reduces the likelihood of infection with tickborne diseases. In persons exposed to tick-infested habitats, prompt careful inspection and removal of crawling or attached ticks is an important method of preventing disease. It may take extended attachment time before organisms are transmitted from the tick to the host.

It is unreasonable to assume that a person can completely eliminate activities that may result in tick exposure. Therefore take the following precautions to protect yourself when exposed to natural areas where ticks are present:

• Wear light-colored clothing which allows you to see ticks that are crawling on your clothing. Tuck your pants legs into your socks so that ticks cannot crawl up the inside of your pants legs.
• Apply repellents to discourage tick attachment. Repellents containing permethrin can be sprayed on boots and clothing, and will last for several days. Repellents containing DEET (n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide) can be applied to the skin, but will last only a few hours before reapplication is necessary. Use DEET with caution on children.
• Conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas by searching your entire body for ticks. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Remove any tick you find on your body.

Check children for ticks, especially in the hair, when returning from potentially tick-infested areas. Ticks may also be carried into the household on clothing and pets and only attach later, so both should be examined carefully to exclude ticks.

 

For more information regarding ticks and the diseses they carry please visit the Centers for Disease Control 'ticks' web page at http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html