Tick-borne diseases are on the rise; here’s what they do and how to avoid them

Summer marks the beginning of prime tick season; don’t let them put the bite on you

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. It’s not necessarily the sound of a time bomb, but it just might be. With summer arriving this month and more and more people spending time outdoors fishing, camping and, in the fall, hunting, the chances of having an encounter with a tick are at their highest. And nothing about those encounters can be good.

The incidence of tick-borne diseases is on the rise, and several new ones have shown up in the past decade. Experts in the field of climatology and infectious diseases point to the world-wide warming trend as a kick-starter in the proliferation of ticks across North America.

Strat Donnell of Hampstead, N.C., ran into a bad tick several years ago, more than likely a Lone Star Tick. A veteran turkey hunter and on-and-off turkey hunting guide, Donnell got sick in 2012, suddenly stricken by digestive problems, and after several procedures and tests, it was determined that he had a condition called achalasia, where the two-way valve between the esophagus and stomach ceases to function properlly.

After losing 40 pounds over a period of a year, he was diagnosed with an allergy to meat, and his doctors put two and two together upon reading a study from two professors at the University of Virginia connecting meat allergies to the bites of the Lone Star Tick – a tiny blood-sucker that has also been identified as the transmitter of the Heartland Virus, a disease that has surfaced from Tennessee across the Midwest. After another surgical procedure, Donnell can eat anything except beef without any repercussions.

“Do not be timid on getting a blood test if you have had or have any such symptoms,” Donnell said. “And just because you have no symptoms today does not mean you can’t earn a trip to the kitchen sink after the next tick finishes snacking on you!”

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease are by far the most-prevalent tick-borne diseases. More and more people are at risk of being infected in today’s warmer environment, according to Dr. Doug Inkley, writing in a National Wildlife Federation report.

“Most of the ticks that bite and infect humans with (Lyme) disease are nymphs, which are most active in the summer months when people and pets are also most active. With climate change, these ticks are projected to be more widespread than ever before,” Inkley wrote.

An NWF report, “Nowhere to run, big-game wildlife in a warming world,” predicted that climate change would expand the distribution of the deer ticks that carry Lyme Disease by 70 percent, particularly in northern climes.

Fortunately, tick-borne diseases and encounters with ticks can be prevented. In most cases, a tick must have latched onto your skin for at least 24 to 48 hours to transmit disease, so a quick daily check while showering or bathing can solve that problem.

Even better is the use of insect repellants. The Center for Disease Control recommends using repellants that contain at least 20- to 30-percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing, or to treat clothing with products that contain permethrin. Specifically, make sure that boots, shoes, socks and pants are treated, as ticks have to make contact at ground level before travelling to the spots where they intend to grab hold.  And make sure your pet’s tick and flea prevention is up to date.

If you discover that a tick has latched onto you and you don’t know how long it’s been there – they do show up in hard-to-see places – see your family doctor immediately. A preventive treatment with an antibiotic like doxycycline should take care of any potential problems.

If you do find a tick has taken hold, watch the accompanying video and learn how to remove it.