With the long anticipated arrival of warmer weather in Kentucky, officials with the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) are reminding people to take precautions against tick bites, which can transmit serious and potentially deadly illnesses.
“Spring and early summer are peak times for tick bites, which coincide with people venturing outdoors in the warmer weather,” said Jeffrey D. Howard, Jr., acting DPH commissioner. “It’s important that people take preventive measures against tick bites and also look out for ticks after visiting affected areas. We encourage everyone to remember these four steps of Protect, Check, Remove and Watch to protect themselves and others from tick bites.”
- Protect – Protect yourself from tick bites by avoiding areas where ticks live such as wooded and brushy areas, tall grasses, woodpiles, leaf litter, and areas close to the ground. Take action to decrease your risk of infection by wearing an EPA-registered tick repellent containing at least 20% DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or one with lemon eucalyptus. When possible, wear protective clothing (light colored, long sleeved shirts and pants tucked into socks) when outdoors to keep ticks off your body. Remember to pretreat clothing with Permethrin, a commonly used insecticide that is safe around many animals, but is highly toxic to cats. Be sure to keep any sprayed items away from cats. If you have pets talk with your veterinarian about the use of tick prevention treatments. You should regularly check your pet for ticks.
- Check – Check yourself and others for ticks after spending time outdoors. Be sure to check your entire body for ticks using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks. Check under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist and especially in and around the hair. Be sure to check your gear and pets for ticks because they hitchhike inside of your clothing where they are not readily visible. If possible, change your clothes and shower after spending time outdoors. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If clothes require washing, hot water is recommended to effectively kill ticks.
- Remove – Remove any imbedded ticks as soon as possible. Use tweezers to grab the tick close to the skin and gently pull on the tick with steady pressure. Do not jerk or twist the tick. Wash your hands and the bite site with soap and water after the tick is removed. Apply an antiseptic to the bite site. Do not use alcohol, matches, liquid soap or petroleum jelly to remove a tick. Dispose of a tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
- Watch – Watch for any symptoms of tickborne illness, which can vary among individuals and differ according to the disease. A sudden fever and rash, severe headache, muscle or joint aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea can be signs of tickborne illness. If symptoms arise within several weeks of removing a tick, consult your healthcare professional and tell them about your recent tick bite, when it occurred and where you most likely acquired the tick.
For more information on ticks and tickborne illness visit https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/.