Do All You Can to Prevent Tick Bites

Above: Purdue tick researcher Chhoki Sherpa views Asian longhorned tick while working in Cate Hill lab in Whistler Hall.

The more we learn about ticks, the more committed we all should be about preventing tick bites altogether.

I will be covering types of ticks and possible diseases they can transmit, but I am not a medical doctor. All medical advice and treatment recommendations should come from a licensed medical professional.

A tick’s life cycle has four stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) reported that the nymph and adult stages can transmit human pathogens.

Lyme disease is probably the most widely known disease that can result from a bite from the black-legged tick (a.k.a. deer tick, Ixodes scapularis). According to Purdue Medical Entomology, the black-legged tick is smaller than other ticks and has a uniform deep mahogany-colored body with black legs.

IDOH reported that black-legged tick nymphs and adults are established in nearly all Indiana counties. Their “dashboard” reports the percentage of those ticks that carried the causative agent for Lyme disease.

IDOH reported in Whitley County from 2017 to the present that of the 53 adult ticks that were sampled, 11 adults (20.75%) carried Borrelia burgdorferi or Borrelia mayonii, the bacterial pathogens that cause Lyme disease. Of the 38 immature nymphs sampled, 5 (13.16%) carried the pathogen. 3 human cases have been reported over that period.

While much attention is on Lyme disease, it is important to note that other tick-borne diseases are present in Indiana. The IDOH website states that the other tick-borne diseases that have occurred in Indiana include Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, and Tularemia.

Besides the black-legged tick, other tick species in Indiana include: Lone star tick, American dog tick (a.k.a. Wood tick), Brown dog tick, Asian longhorned tick, and the Gulf Coast tick. Certain species of ticks carry specific pathogens.

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) stated that certain tick-borne diseases can be spread to dogs. “Tick bites can cause a localized reaction, including skin damage, inflammation and hypersensitivity. An animal with a large number of tick bites can cause anemia and some ticks secrete toxic saliva that may cause paralysis. Indiana tick-borne illnesses include Canine ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Tularemia,” they said. They also stated that Lyme disease affects both dogs and cats.

According to IDOH, the Asian longhorned tick is not known to carry human pathogens. However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it can cause bovine theileriosis in cattle and sheep. Several signs and symptoms accompany this disease, and there is no approved treatment for bovine theileriosis currently in the U.S. This tick is only found in southern Indiana at this time.

To prevent tick bites, first know where you are going. IDOH said grassy, brushy, or wooded areas could expose you to ticks. Treat clothing with permethrin and use EPA-registered insect repellents that are effective against mosquitoes and ticks. Finally, reduce exposed skin by wearing long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and shoes that cover the whole foot. Tucking in your shirt and stuffing your pant legs inside the tops of your socks is also recommended.

IDOH recommends the following after returning from tick-prone areas. This is an edited-down list. For additional details, please consult their website (see below).

• Immediately disrobe and tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 20 minutes to kill ticks. When washing, hot water is recommended because cold or warm water will not kill ticks.
• Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks.
• Conduct a full-body tick check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas. Immature ticks are much smaller than adults and can be no larger than a poppy seed.
• Examine gear and pets for ticks. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later.

IDOH recommended how to safely and quickly remove a tick.

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove mouth parts easily with clean tweezers, leave the area alone and let the skin heal.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
4. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.

The bottom line: do all you can to prevent tick bites! If you experience physical symptoms after encountering a tick, seek medical help immediately. (Save removed ticks in sealed baggies for reference.)

Purdue Extension has a quick-start guide for ticks along with other related publications at: https://edustore.purdue.edu/. Find the IDOH website on tick-borne diseases at: https://www.in.gov/health/idepd/zoonotic-and-vectorborne-epidemiology-entomology/vector-borne-diseases/tick-borne-diseases/. Find important information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on ticks at https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/.