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Preventing Tick-Borne Exposure

Limiting exposure to ticks reduces the likelihood of infection. 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 several hours of attachment before microorganisms are transmitted from the tick to the host.

1. Avoid tick-infested habitats when possible.
   
   
2. If a tick-infested area is entered:
   1. Wear clothing that covers the arms, legs, and other exposed areas of the body. This can be accomplished by tucking pants into boots or socks, wearing long sleeved shirts buttoned at the cuff.
      
      
   2. Tick and insect repellents should be applied: DEET applied to the skin provides protection but requires reapplication every 1 to 2 hours for maximum effectiveness.DEET should be applied sparingly and only according to product label instructions. Children may be very sensitive to DEET. Do not apply to an adult/child's face, hands, or skin that is irritated or braised. After returning indoors, treated skin should be washed with soap and water. Permethrin can be sprayed onto clothes to decrease tick attachment. It should not be sprayed onto skin.
      
      
   3. Inspect your skin and clothing after tick exposure. Special attention should go to: Exposed hairy regions of the body where ticks often attach. This includes the head and neck.
      
      
3. What if a tick is found on the skin.
   1. It needs to be immediately removed. Take Care To Avoid Squeezing the body of the tick!
      1. Grasp with fine tweezers close to the skin and gently pull straight out without twisting motion. Do not crush tick's body when removing it and apply tweezers as close to the skin as possible to avoid leaving tick mouth parts in skin.
         
      2. Do not remove tick with bare hand. Protect hand with gloves, cloth, or tissue and wash after removal of the tick.
         
      3. After removal of the tick, disinfect the skin with soap and water or other available disinfectants.
         
      4. * If you have questions concerning a tick bite or if signs and symptoms of
         1. rash or redness at site of bite
            
         2. fever
            
         3. headache
            
         4. malaise (discomfort)
            
         5. mylagia (tenderness or pain in muscle)
            
         6. arthralgia

      *Contact your physician. You may need medication to avoid illness.

4. Tips on Prevention:
   1. Wear light colored clothing so ticks can be easily seen.
      
   2. Wear a long sleeved shirt, hat, long pants, and tuck your pant legs into your socks.
      
   3. Walk into the center of trails to avoid overhanging grass and brush.
      
   4. Check your body every few hours for ticks when you spend a lot of time outdoors in tick-infested areas. Ticks are most often found on the thigh, arms, underarms, legs, head, neck, or where tight fitting clothing has been.
      
   5. Don't forget insect repellents containing DEET on your skin or Premethin on your clothing. Carefully read instructions
      on repellents before using on children. Use only as instructed.
      
   6. If you have family pets, be sure they are protected against ticks. There is medication which may be purchased at the veterinarian's office and collars which may be placed on pets to control ticks. Inspection for ticks on your pets should also be done. If family pets have ticks may come in contact with your family.

    

For information on Lyme Disease please click here.

If you have any questions or need additional information please contact us. We'll be glad to help.