Many of us know the feeling when you suddenly discover that the little mole or freckle you’ve been scratching starts to move. It’s a tick! Those creepy little creatures that appear during the warm weather months on the East Coast can cause serious illness when they bite. The Virginia Department of Health advises it’s best to avoid being bitten by a tick.

"If they’re infected, several different kinds of ticks can be responsible for transmitting the bacteria that cause a number of diseases, so it’s best to take precautions to avoid tick bites in the first place," advises Suzanne R. Jenkins, VMD, MPH, Assistant State Epidemiologist.

The tiny brown deer tick was the source of 73 reported cases of Lyme disease last year in Virginia. So far this year, 17 cases of Lyme disease have been reported in what is still early in tick season. Another variety found in Virginia, the American dog tick can carry an organism causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Scientists suspect the Lone Star tick, with its characteristic white spot on the back, and the deer tick are responsible for transmitting the two forms of ehrlichiosis that have been reported in the U.S. And, bites from several different ticks can lead to tularemia (Rabbit fever).

A bite by an infected tick can prove costly to a person’s health. Lyme disease, which usually causes a telltale rash shaped like a bull’s-eye around the bite, also can cause symptoms such as fever, chills and headache. If untreated in the early stages, Lyme disease can lead to arthritis or other long-term health or mental complications. Lyme disease is not known to be fatal, but Rocky Mountain spotted fever can prove deadly if untreated. Antibiotics are always effective methods of treatment if begun early enough, and for this reason Jenkins recommends seeing a doctor as soon as tick-related illness is suspected.

Another way to avoid getting sick is a "tick check" immediately after being outdoors. "The length of time a tick is attached is a factor in avoiding disease," Jenkins says. "An infected deer tick has to be attached for at least 36 hours before it can transmit Lyme disease, but the infected dog tick only needs to be attached for 4-6 hours to cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Virginia is a low-risk state for Lyme disease. Fewer infected ticks in this state mean fewer cases of reported disease. Virginia’s number of reported cases in 1998 was 1.16 per 100,000 people, while the national average for Lyme disease cases was 4.7 per 100,000 people. By comparison the northeastern U.S. has a much higher number of reported Lyme disease cases, ranging up to 70.23 per 100,000 people in Connecticut.

"If you’re planning an outdoor vacation in the Northeast as well as engaging in outdoor activity here in Virginia where infected ticks may be lurking, you should take precautions," Jenkins says. "Wearing long pants, tucking the legs inside your socks and avoiding walking unprotected in overgrown grassy areas or dense woods are some of the ways to avoid tick bites."

Other suggestions on how to best avoid becoming a tick’s next snack include

• wearing light colored clothing so ticks can be easily spotted and removed,
• wearing long-sleeved shirts buttoned at the wrists,
• checking pets for ticks and
• using insect repellant.

For people with frequent or prolonged exposure in areas where infected ticks are prevalent, a new vaccine on the market may offer an option to avoid one of the tickborne diseases. However, in just-released guidelines, the CDC recommends vaccine only for those at greatest risk of Lyme disease infection, such as some outdoor workers and those who live or recreate in higher risk areas. Currently, the cost is about $250 for three doses of vaccine given over a year’s time, and insurance coverage varies. The vaccine, which is less than 100 percent effective, is not recommended by the CDC for children under 15, adults over 70 or pregnant women.

Finally, if you are bitten by a tick, how you remove it can increase or decrease chances of infection.

The proper way to remove a tick is by grasping it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently but firmly pulling it straight out. If tweezers aren’t available, don’t touch the tick with bare fingers. Use a paper towel, gloves or a tissue. The disease-causing organism can enter the bloodstream through any break in the skin.

After removing the tick, wash your hands with soap and warm water and apply an antiseptic, such as alcohol or iodine, to the bite. Nail polish, petroleum jelly, alcohol or a hot match are not safe removal methods.

To identify the tick, you can take it to a county extension agent.

For more information about diseases caused by ticks, call your local health department or visit the VDH website at http://www.vdh.state.va.us.

###