Beware the blood suckers: It's tick season in Tennessee. Here's everything to know
With warm weather and longer days also comes the beginning of tick season.
Tick season in Tennessee has already started and if you like being outdoors, you should be taking precautions. According to the Tennessee Department of Health, the number of ticks in Tennessee has been on the rise in recent years, and along with that comes an increase in the diseases that these pests carry. And though the blood sucking insects are small and hard to detect, it is essential to keep an eye out for them in the coming months.
There are ways to protect yourself from getting bitten and potentially contracting a tick-borne disease. Here's what to know about ticks, prevention and more for the upcoming season.
What do ticks look like?
Ticks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but all of them have the potential to make people sick with diseases like Lyme's Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and alpha-gal syndrome. Take a look at the different types of ticks in our gallery.
The most commonly found ones in Tennessee are the Brown dog tick, the Gulf Coast tick and the Lone Star tick.
Where are ticks usually found?
Ticks are commonly found in grassy, brushy, dense and wooded areas where they can find hosts like deer, rodents and birds. They can even come from a beloved pet or other animals you come in contact with.
According to Terminix, the only way for ticks to spread to new areas is to hitch a ride on their host. Although the insects are usually found outdoors, they can enter your home on pets or clothing. They're not typically found in beds like bed bugs or fleas.
What is Lyme disease? Do ticks spread other diseases?
Ticks carry a plethora of bacteria with them, and once they bite a human, they can spread a number of diseases. One of the most prevalent is Lyme disease.
According to the CDC, Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii. Humans can get Lyme disease through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic skin rash that often resembles a bulls-eye.
It is more prevalent in the northeastern or upper Midwest areas of the U.S., but according to the Department of Health, it is making its way into Tennessee.
Here are some of the more common tick bite-related illnesses.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Another disease is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and where Lyme disease can affect your health, RMSF could be potentially fatal. According to the CDC, Tennessee is a common place for it.
It is a bacterial disease spread through the bite of an infected tick, often by an American dog tick, brown dog tick or Rocky Mountain wood tick. Most people who get sick with this will have a fever, headache and rash. RMSF could be deadly if not treated with the right antibiotics early.
Alpha-gal syndrome
This is a fairly new one when it comes to tick-borne illnesses. Alpha-gal syndrome is a rare but potentially life-threatening allergy to pork, beef, rabbit, lamb, and/or venison, and byproducts of these animals.
According to the CDC, it is usually associated with the bite of a lone star tick in the U.S., but other kinds of ticks have not been ruled out as carriers of it.
How to check for ticks
Ticks most often infect people in the outdoors and are then brought into homes. Here are some tips from Terminix on checking for ticks.
Thoroughly inspect your body and your pets after spending time outdoors, especially in areas with tall grass or dense foliage.
Begin with your scalp, as ticks can often hide there. Use a mirror or ask someone to help you check hard-to-see areas such as behind the ears, underarms, and around the groin.
For pets, check their fur and skin, paying attention to areas where ticks might latch on.
If you find a tick, remove it promptly with fine-tipped tweezers, gripping it as close to the skin as possible. Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water or an antiseptic.
Flush the tick down the toilet or throw it away in a sealed bag.
Monitor the bite area for any signs of infection or rash, and if any unusual symptoms develop or you have concerns, seek medical advice promptly.
How do I remove a tick?
If you are bitten by a tick be carful when removing it. Here are some tips on removal from the CDC.
Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by: putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.
Document when you discovered the tick and where you could have picked it up.
If you are bitten by a tick, keep an eye out on the area for any rashes and contact your doctor.
How to avoid tick bites
Ticks are known to hide in tall, grassy areas before they latch onto their chosen hosts. Here are some ways to avoid tick bites.
Wear long pants, socks, and long sleeves when entering grassy, bushy, and wooded areas.
Tuck pants into socks or boots to create an extra barrier.
Stick to the center of cleared paths and avoid walking through tall grass and other areas where ticks are more likely to be.
Conduct tick checks every two to three hours while outdoors, and thoroughly check yourself, your children, and your pets when you return indoors.
Does anything eat ticks?
A number of animals find ticks to be tasty treats and are important in keeping the tick population down. Field & Stream put a list together of the tick's natural predators. Here are some of the animals that eat ticks:
Chickens
Ducks
Ground feeding birds
Squirrels and other rodents: They will eat them, but are also a primary source for tick-borne illnesses
Frogs
Lizards
Wild turkeys
Opossums
Reptiles
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What kind of ticks are in Tennessee? Do the carry Lyme's disease
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