As temperatures rise and the days get longer, people are spending more time hunting, fishing, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. This is also the time of year when tick activity is increasing across the state.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources reminds the public to take precautions against tick bites, which can transmit disease.
“Ticks are common across the state, and whether you’re hunting, hiking or spending time in your backyard, you’re probably going to encounter them,” said Dr. Christine Casey, wildlife veterinarian for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “The key to avoiding any health risk from a tick bite is by taking steps to protect yourself from being bitten in the first place.”
The most common tick species in Kentucky are the lone star tick, the black-legged tick and the American dog tick. Whether a person gets sick from a single tick bite depends on the type of tick, where it was acquired and how long it was attached. While few ticks transmit disease, tick bites should always be taken seriously.
Lyme disease, transmitted by infected black-legged ticks and common in the northeast and north central U.S., is of growing concern to Kentucky.
Ticks don’t have to ruin a day outdoors. Take the following precautions to avoid tick bites:
Before going outdoors
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin or citronella oil.
Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. Do not apply permethrin directly to the skin.
Take extra precautions if walking through wooded or brushy areas, tall grasses, woodpiles and leaf litter.
After spending time outdoors
Perform tick checks. Ticks get under the arms, in and around the ears, the back of the knees, in and around hair, between the legs and around the groin and waist. Be sure to check gear and pets as well.
Shower soon after coming indoors as this can remove any unattached ticks.
Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks attached to clothes.
Remove a tick that is attached to the skin 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 as this can cause mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. After removing the tick, clean the bite site and wash hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Dispose of a tick by submerging it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape or flushing it down the toilet. Do not attempt to crush a tick between the fingers.
If symptoms of fever, rash, muscle or joint aches, or other types of illness arise within several weeks of removing a tick, consult a healthcare professional. Tell them about the recent tick bite, when it occurred and where the tick was acquired.
Kentuckians can contribute to the study of tickborne diseases and their distribution across the state by submitting samples of ticks to the Kentucky Tick Surveillance Project. This project, by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, seeks to improve knowledge about where ticks are found and the diseases they might carry.
For more information about ticks and tick prevention, visit www.cdc.gov/ticks/