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Robert E. Thomas
Information Specialist
573-882-2480
ThomasR@missouri.edu
Published: July 10, 2007
Story Source: Richard Houseman, 573-882-7181; Bao-Ping Zhu, 573-751-6128
Editor’s Note: Accompanying video sound bites and b-roll are available by request.
Tick-borne diseases are on the rise,Columbia man learned it can be serious
COLUMBIA, Mo. - John Tharp caught a lot more on his fishing trip than he ever wanted.
While fishing on a lake in Dixon, Mo., May 26, Tharp, 59, of Columbia, received a tick bite. Eight days later, he became terribly ill with high fever, upset stomach, vomiting and complete malaise.
A doctor diagnosed his condition as ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne disease, and prescribed a regimen of antibiotics. Tharp had to cancel a long-planned vacation to Ireland. His doctor said full recovery may take three months to a year, he said.
Fifty-six cases of ehrlichiosis have been reported in Missouri as of July 2, more than double the total number of cases reported in 2006. The number of reports of tick-borne Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme-like disease and tularemia also are up, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
These diseases can be life-threatening and difficult to diagnose, said Dr. Bao Ping Zhu, Missouri state epidemiologist. One death of a child has been reported this year in Missouri.
"It is not common to get a tick disease. If you think about the thousands of tick bites people get, it is a low percentage. Yet, tick bites can be very serious. To transmit a disease, ticks would have to have fed on a host that has that bacterium in it," said Richard Houseman, University of Missouri Extension entomologist.
Circle on a calendar the day you received a tick bite, and monitor your health for the next two weeks for nausea, chills, fever or malaise. If any of these symptoms appear, seek medical help, he said.
The lone star tick and the dog tick are Missouri's most prevalent ticks. The lone star tick can transit STARI or Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, tularemia or rabbit fever, and ehrlichiosis. The dog tick can transit tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Make frequent tick checks. Tick diseases cannot be transmitted unless the insect is embedded for four to six hours.
Proper tick removal is important. "Grasp the tick at its mouth part next to your skin with sturdy, narrow tweezers and pull firmly, allowing the skin to pull away from the tick," he said.
Do not try removing a tick with your fingers. "Your fingers may squeeze the body of the tick making it act like a hypodermic needle shooting bacteria into your blood," he said.
Houseman suggests several approaches to protect from tick bites. The most effective defense when outdoors is to tuck your pants into your socks to keep ticks on the outside of your clothing. Ticks can get under your pant leg. They have a natural tendency to travel upward when they get on a host.
Use repellents for protection. DEET and a new product, Picaridin, are recommended by the World Health Organization. Apply these products every four hours. Never wear a flea or tick collar like those used on pets. Pet collars can cause serious skin burns.
Ticks like tall grass, shrubs close to the ground and dense vegetation, especially along boundary areas, he said.
"Keep your grass mowed to a height of three inches, allowing air circulation around the base of the grass," he said.
"Ticks dry out quickly in midday if exposed to heat and dry conditions. During those times, they go down to the base of the vegetation close to the soil. They close off their breathing holes and ride out that hot, dry time."
Ticks become most active in the morning or evening when the air cools and humidity rises, he said.
Ticks require three hosts. After hatching from eggs, they must find a small host; usually a rodent or rabbit.
They then must molt and drop off that host to get a blood meal from a second host. Usually, that is a bigger host like a raccoon or possum. They molt again and drop off to find a third host, he said.
"The more hosts there are around, the more likely ticks are to complete their life cycle," he said. "Host management is really critical. In fact, studies show deer populations and tick populations almost mirror each other. Some people encourage wildlife in their backyard, but the more it is encouraged, the more they must expect to come in contact with ticks."
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| American dog tick, left, and Lonestar tick. Photo credit: Richard Houseman |
