Ticks are not famous for being beach lovers, and thus, ecologist Dan Salkeld and his colleague were shocked when they found around 180 ticks in less than one mile on a coastal trail close to Muir Beach in California in 2016.
NPR News, through WFME, reported that opposite most people, they were delighted at the high number of ticks. According to Salkeld, whose study results were published in June, it was thrilling in terms of sample sizes and data.
For several years, people tracking back-legged ticks, the species that carry Lyme disease, have been discovering them in further-flung area, although still in mostly traditional habitats of forested areas which have tall grasses and leaf litter.
Now, theorized Bobbi Pritt, a Mayo Clinic parasitologist, as the number expands, they see ticks in sites that they don't think of as a traditional habitat.
Insects Carrying Bacteria
The trend has continued, with ticks appearing up in areas formerly considered safe from the disease-carrying arachnids, from the coastal California beach areas to trimmed lawns in the Northeast.
The ticks' total number may be forcing them to branch out into new habitats, explained Pritt. More so, more of them seem to be carrying pathogens.
The lab tests of Pritt, of tens of thousands of ticks, over the last three years, they have discovered more, and more of the insects are carrying the bacteria that causes a disease called anaplasmosis, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a disease that can lead to fever, chills, headache, and severe illness if treatment is delayed.
Preventing Tick Bites
To avoid being bitten by a tick, one needs to be vigilant about taking precautions each time he is spending a substantial amount of time outdoors, in tick territory, whenever he's hiking or mowing his lawn.
Here, Pritt recommended, are some tips to prevent tick bites:
1. Wear the Appropriate Attire
If possible, opt for long sleeves and pants. The expert said, tucking the pants into sacks gives these insects less access to parts that they can bite.
2. Disrobe the soonest possible
The easiest way to way to guarantee that ticks remain outside is to disrobe at the soonest possible time. Shed all the work clothes on a porch before getting inside the house to keep any hangers-on outside if possible. Immediately go for a shower and check for ticks and scrubs.
3. Disinfect
Make sure to throw all discarded clothes into the dryer on high heat for approximately six minutes to destroy any stragglers.
Treating Tick Bites
Below are some of the things to do when bitten by a tick:
1. Never Panic
This may be hard to do, admitted Pritt, advising to remember that not every tick is carrying a hazardous bacteria or virus.
2. Use a Pair of Fine Tipped Tweezers
Grab your tweezers. Remove as quickly as possible, as close to skin as you can, by pulling it in a motion that's smooth and continuous, without twisting.
3. Keep the Tick for Future Examination
Place the tick inside a plastic bag in the freezer, especially if it is suspected to have attached a long time, which may increase the danger of Lyme disease spread.
This way, if you decide to consult a doctor, the latter will be able to determine the tick type that bit you and even have it tested for disease-causing bacteria. Remember, though, that you might not get infected even if the insect tests positive.
4. Closely Observe Symptoms
Mayo Clinic advises that one should watch out for headache, rash, flu-like symptoms, and joint pain, which are all possible signs of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis. Other indications linked to Lyme disease include stiff neck and swollen lymph nodes.
Related information is shown on Johns Hopkins Rheumatology's YouTube video below:
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