Latest news with #Ehrlichiosis
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Preventing from tick-borne illnesses
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Health officials are warning Hoosiers to beware of ticks. This is after the Indiana Department of Health reported a fatal case of the tick-borne illness Ehrlichiosis in Southern Indiana. Here locally, the Vigo County Health Department is sharing some tips to stay safe. Health Educator Shelby Jackson said ticks are active from early spring to late fall, and they're not limited to dense wooded areas, they can also be found in grassy areas. Jackson said people can spray themselves with a tick repellent if they are spending time outdoors. Then once you go back inside, she said it's important to check your skin and clothing for ticks. 'When you're removing a tick, it's important that you use some tweezers and you want to get the whole body of the tick and also the head. So, take the tweezers all the way down to the skin and fully grasp the tick and pull up. You don't want to pull at an angle or anywhere that could potentially break the head of the tick off from the body,' said Jackson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tick season in Missouri: Prevention tips for hikers
Temperatures are getting warmer and grass is getting greener. You may feel a sudden urge to return to your favorite hiking trail this spring! But not so fast. Tick season in Missouri is also nearing its peak meaning you'll want to do a few things to prepare before hitting the trails. Ticks forage for food using a strategy known as questing. They climb to the top of tall grass and wait for a mammal or a person to pass by. They are most common in high animal traffic areas, including along the edges of hiking trails. There are 3 common types of ticks in the Ozarks. The most common type is the Lone Star Tick. The other common types are deer ticks and dog ticks. The most concerning as far as disease goes is the Lone Star tick. Visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website for more on Missouri ticks. The Lone Star tick is the main culprit of alpha-gal syndrome, a disease that causes an allergic reaction to eating red meat. Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and more. So what can you do to lower your risk of a tick bite while enjoying nature? It's best to dress in long and tight clothing that covers your skin. A lightweight long-sleeve t-shirt is a good idea during the hot summer months. Long pants like jeans keep you from directly contacting grass where ticks can be lying in wait. You can also wear long socks that are tighter against your skin. This helps prevent ticks from being able to latch onto your feet and ankles. When looking at bug repellents, you'll want to buy a repellent that has a higher concentration of deet. Most name brands contain 25% deet, but certain brands contain up to 40%. Other companies offer pyrethran repellents, but be sure to only apply this kind to your clothes and not directly to your skin. Ticks can be tricky to remove given their size, but you definitely want to remove them immediately. Use tweezers or a specific tick-removing tool when removing a tick. You'll want to pinch the tick as close to your skin as you can to avoid squeezing any of the tick's fluids into you (gross!). There are symptoms to watch out for after a tick bites you. Look for a reddish ring around the bite site, rash, headache, and aching muscles and joints. Seek medical attention if you notice these symptoms following a tick bite. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
