Tick bites bring greater risk for disease
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- As the weather warms up, ticks begin to hatch, eventually showing up on your arms, legs, and clothes.
NC State Associate Professor Michael Waldvogel told ABC11, "May, June and July are really the times we see the most cases of the tick borne diseases showing up."
Bites this time of year increase your chance of contracting Lyme Disease. The reason has to do with the developmental stage of the tick.
"The larvae don't carry the disease. It is the nymphs and the adults that we have to worry about. They actually have to feed on an animal that has the disease," Waldvogel said.
This time of year, most ticks graduate from the larvae stage to the nymph or adult phase, waiting to attach to you to continue their growth process.
"Kind of like mosquitos, they need blood to grow and for the female to produce eggs," Waldvogel explained.
While you may think you are most likely to get a tick if you are under a tree, that's not the case. Ticks don't jump. Instead they hang out in weeded areas. They wait for you to brush up against the plants, and then latch on to you and your clothes.
"They are in the weeds because that's where their food source is. That's where the rabbits the raccoons your deer mice are," Waldvogel explained.
Once ticks attach to you it can take them hours to find the perfect spot to latch on. If you catch them soon after they attach, you should be safe from disease.
"It takes over 12 hours of feeding for them to actually transfer the disease to you," Waldvogel shared.
While you may be most concerned about Lyme disease, Waldvogel says Rocky Mountain spotted fever is much more prominent in North Carolina.
"There are five states that count for 60-percent of all cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the country," Waldvogel said. "Unfortunately, North Carolina and Oklahoma lead the pack when it comes to the number of cases we have."
One of the reasons is because of the climate. Ticks prefer more than 85-percent humidity with temperatures greater than 45-degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer the winters are, the better your chances of seeing these creepy crawly arachnids. North Carolina fulfills all of those requirements.
So what can you do to avoid getting sick? Dr. Michele Casey, a primary care physician with WakeMed Physician Practices, says you should use an insect repellent before you venture into wooded areas. Also, check your body and your children, particularly in the groin area, after you have been out for long periods of time. It's also a good idea to wear long sleeves and pants when outside and try avoid heavily wooded areas and weeds.
If you do find a tick, act quickly! The quicker you get the tick off, the safer you are from associated illnesses.
Below are the do's and don'ts of tick removal according to Dr. Casey.
- DO use fine-tipped tweezers.
- DON'T use your fingers.
- DO grab the tick at the part that is stuck in your skin.
- DON'T grab the tick around its bloated belly.
- DO gently pull the tick straight out until it lets go of your skin.
- DON'T twist and turn the tick.
- DO put the tick in a jar or ziplock bag and place it in the freezer for possible identification later.
If you see a rash or feel like you have any flu-like symptoms, get to your doctor or physician immediately. This time of year it is important to check daily to keep yourself and your family healthy.
