Ticks Are the Real Creepy Crawlies You Need to Worry About

<p>Blood-sucking parasites belong in video games — not the woods — but such is life. The real-life blood-suckers, ticks, are ruining time in nature by threatening us with serious, debilitating long-term diseases. These notorious arachnids are mostly found in grassy, wooded areas and carry all sorts of dangerous ick, like Lyme disease.</p> <p>If you plan on venturing into their neck of the woods, you’ve got to know how to protect yourself against ticks. Tuck your pants in your socks and read on. </p> <h2>Anatomy of a tick</h2> <p>The lifecycle of a tick goes from egg to larva and then nymph to adult, and each stage requires a blood meal to promote development (hence, why they are classified as obligate hematophages). Through heat, moisture, vibrations, and carbon dioxide, ticks can target their hosts, and once attached, they insert specialized mouthparts that penetrate the skin and feed on blood.</p> <p>Unlike mosquitoes and similar blood-lovers, ticks like to take their time with their meals: they feed slowly and can remain attached for several days. </p> <figure><img alt="Lifecycle of Ixodes scapularis | Source: CDC" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/LoOrbgFrAP/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Lifecycle of Ixodes scapularis (black-legged ticks). <em>Source: CDC</em></figcaption> </figure> <h2>Prick of a tick: tick-borne diseases and their consequences</h2> <p>Ticks are infamous for being vectors of pathogens including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, leading to an array of illnesses that fall under the umbrella of tick-borne diseases. </p> <h3>Lyme disease</h3> <p>This condition is caused by the bacterium <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em> and is transmitted primarily by the black-legged tick (<em>Ixodes scapularis</em> in the eastern US, and <em>Ixodes pacificus</em> in the western side). On top of the signature bullseye rash, early symptoms of Lyme disease often include a fever, headache, and fatigue. If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to more severe complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.</p> <figure><img alt="Lyme Rash | Source: James Gathany - CNX OpenStax/Wikimedia" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/VdKRvyswoK/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Bullseye rash from a tick bite. <em>Source: James Gathany - CNX OpenStax/Wikimedia</em></figcaption> </figure> <h3>Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF)</h3> <p><em>Rickettsia rickettsii </em>is a bacterium that leads to a potentially fatal disease called Rocky Mountain spotted fever. RMSF is traced back to a bite from the American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick. Symptoms include fever, headache, rash, and muscle aches, and prompt treatment with antibiotics is needed to prevent serious complications.</p> <p>With RMSF, a rash usually develops 2 to 4 days after the fever begins, and the appearance of the rash can vary widely throughout the course of the illness. RMSF can be tricky to diagnose because the rash often appears late in the illness. </p> <h3>Anaplasmosis</h3> <p>Anaplasmosis is linked to the bacterium <em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em>, and you can find it lurking in the bite of a black-legged tick (<em>Ixodes scapularis</em>) or a western blacklegged tick (<em>Ixodes pacificus</em>). Once again, common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. Without treatment, severe cases may lead to organ failure.</p> <p>The signs and symptoms of anaplasmosis usually show up within 1 to 2 weeks following the bite of an infected tick. </p> <h3>Babesiosis</h3> <p>The black-legged tick is once again the harbinger of parasitic doom with babesiosis. This disease is caused by parasites of the genus <em>Babesia</em>. You may experience a mild flu-like illness or no symptoms at all, but some may suffer issues as severe as hemolytic anemia (a condition where your red blood cells are destroyed quicker than they can be replaced).</p> <p>Babesiosis can become a life-threatening condition for those who:</p> <ul> <li>Don’t have a spleen</li> <li>Are immunocompromised</li> <li>have underlying health issues like liver or kidney disease</li> <li>Are older (50+)</li> </ul> <p>Babesiosis is treatable, and a combination of medications may be required including antimalarials. </p> <h2>It’s better to not get ticked off in the first place</h2> <p>Because of how sneaky and serious these tick-borne diseases are, preventing tick bites is your best defense. Here are some effective strategies:</p> <ul> <li><strong><strong>Know where to expect ticks. </strong></strong>Ticks live in grassy, brushy, and wooded zones, and they may also live on animals. Camping, gardening, and hunting carry risks of an encounter, and that’s even more so if you bring your dog along. Most people who suffer a bite do so in their own neighborhood or yard.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Avoid their habitats. </strong>Wooded or brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter are your biggest red flag. Stay in the center of trails.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Use repellents.</strong> Buy insect repellents with DEET, picaridin, or permethrin, and apply the products to exposed skin and clothing. Permethrin is recommended by the CDC (0.5% strength), and it can be applied to boots, clothing, and camping gear while remaining protective even after several washings. There are also permethrin-treated clothing and gear you can buy. <figure><img alt="Pesticides | Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service/Photo by Scott Bauer." src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/8ojMZDfLA7/thumbnail.jpg" /> <figcaption>Insect repellants. <em>Source: USDA Agricultural Research Service/Photo by Scott Bauer.</em></figcaption> </figure> </li> <li><strong>Wear proper clothing.</strong> Minimize skin exposure wherever you can: wear long sleeves, pants, and socks.<br />  </li> <li><strong>Perform tick checks.</strong> If you’ve been outdoors, perform a thorough check on your body and clothing for ticks. Close attention should be paid to areas such as the scalp, groin, waist, ears, and armpits. Make sure to also scan your pets: ticks can use your dog as a Trojan horse to invade your home and latch onto you later.<br />  </li> <li><strong>Remove ticks fast.</strong> If you find a tick attached to your skin, get out the tweezers. You need to get a good grasp (as close to the skin’s surface as possible) and then pull up and out with steady pressure to remove it fully. <figure><img alt="Proper tick removal | Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)" src="https://cdn.storymd.com/optimized/VAz4lgfMdO/thumbnail.gif" /> <figcaption>Proper tick removal. <em>Source: CDC</em></figcaption> </figure> </li> <li><strong><strong>Shower pronto. </strong></strong>Showering within two hours of coming home has been shown to reduce your risk of contracting Lyme disease, and it may be effective for other tick-borne nastiness as well. Showers help to wash off unattached ticks, and they’re also a good opportunity to perform a thorough tick check.<br />  </li> <li><strong>Tumble dry your clothes. </strong>Put your used clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks. If the clothes are wet, additional time may be required, and if you’re going to wash your clothes first, use hot water (cold or medium-temperature water won’t kill ticks).</li> </ul> <h2>More on Ticks</h2><ul><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/vm9nn44hgw-tick-bites" target="_blank">Tick Bites: How to Prevent or Respond to a Tick Bite</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/4m8akedipw-tickborne-diseases" target="_blank">Tickborne Diseases: What to Know About Diseases Transmitted by Ticks</a></li><li><a href="https://soulivity.storymd.com/journal/pwgrr3nh4j-lyme-disease" target="_blank">Lyme Disease: Transmission, Symptoms, Treatment</a></li></ul>