Wednesday, June 27, 2001
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Wednesday, June 27, 2001 |
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Disease-carrying ticks on the move? By DAVE
HAMRICK
Health officials aren't calling it a tick outbreak exactly, but recent wet, warm weather may have brought an increase in the numbers of the little pests. "We haven't heard an unusual number of complaints this year," said JoAnn Collins, a nurse at the Fayette County Health Department. "But with the climate changes we may have more bugs." Residents of the Smokerise area of Peachtree City say the woods are full of them, with trips outdoors almost always resulting in the irritating bugs hitching a ride inside. And that can mean more than just an itchy bite. Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and nasty infections are among the ills ticks can cause. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium carried by the tiny pests. It shows up as a ringlike swollen rash at the site of the tick bite, three to 22 days after the bite. The rash, usually a bright red outer ring and lighter center, is frequently accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, stiff neck, muscle pain or nausea, along with joint pain. But don't count on the rash to diagnose the illness. Sometimes the other symptoms occur without it. If you get flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, see a doctor, the Health Department advises. The disease is easily treated in the early stages, when the symptoms aren't so bad. In later stages, the joint pain can be severe with permanent destruction of bone and cartilage. Rocky Mountain spotted fever also is caused by a bacteria-like organism and is characterized by sudden onset of chills, fever, headache and bloodshot eyes. "Spotted fever" refers to a rash that crops up two to four days after the fever starts. The rash usually starts on the hands and feet and spreads to most of the body, and is easily misdiagnosed as measles. If you're having the symptoms and have been bitten, diagnosis can be confirmed by a blood test. Antibiotics will take care of it. Lyme disease is usually carried by the black-legged tick, and spotted fever by the American dog and lone star ticks. The best way to avoid these diseases is to avoid tick bites. The Health Department suggests that if you're in the woods: Wear long pants. Tuck the pant leg into your socks and tuck your shirt under your belt. This way, you force the tick to move up toward your head, where it's more easily detected. Under your clothing, it can do its damage before you realize it's there. Use a repellent. A repellent containing "deet" is available in many brands. Bottled deet can be rubbed on the skin and will normally last several hours. Deet in aerosols can be sprayed on clothing for added protection. Another product, Permanone, is sprayed only on the clothing and not only repels but kills the ticks. The Health Department suggests using deet on the skin and Permanone on the clothing. Check yourself for ticks at least twice a day. There is evidence that the longer an infected tick feeds, the greater the chance it has of transmitting a disease. Remove imbedded ticks with forceps or cloth or paper wrapped around the tick as near to the point of attachment as possible. Use a firm, steady pull. Do not jerk or twist. If you break off the mouth parts, the site could get infected. Do not use unprotected fingers, and apply a disinfectant to the site after removal. Health officials also offer some hints to keep ticks away from your house. Cut the grass ... ticks like long grass. Treat the dog with an approved pesticide for ticks, and fence the yard to keep out other dogs. Use a pesticide in the yard that's made for ticks. The County Extension Service can advise you. Be sure to read and follow directions for all pesticides and repellents.
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