By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

CLOTHING, REPELLENT AND INSPECTION PREVENT TICK-BORNE DISEASE

Question: This year the ticks seem to be very prevalent. I have brushed many off of the dog and last night my son came in with a tick on him. It hadn’t bitten him yet, so I was able to get it off him and kill it. What kind of problems do ticks cause? I hear they spread many diseases.

Answer: First, let me assure you that you don’t have anything to worry about with your son. A tick can spread a disease only if it bites a person and becomes imbedded under the skin. A tick that is still crawling around does not cause disease. You were lucky that you caught the tick at this stage, before it could burrow into your son’s skin.

But your larger point is correct. Ticks can be the carriers of several types of disease. To help you and my other readers out, I will give you some general information on tick-borne diseases in the United States.

In most tick-borne diseases, the tick is the “travel host” of the illness. By this, I mean that the tick doesn’t actually have the disease but acquires a disease-causing agent -- a bacteria, virus or parasite -- from an animal host. Then, when the tick feeds on a human it can pass the disease-causing agent on to the person who may become sick. In these cases, the tick does not have the illness; it just transmits it to an unlucky human recipient. It usually requires several hours of feeding on a human for disease to be transmitted.

There are a wide range of animals from which ticks can acquire disease-causing agents. These animals -- called “reservoirs” in the language of public health officials -- can include deer, mice, horses, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, raccoons, and even sometimes dogs.

Many of the symptoms of tick-borne illnesses are similar. They include rash, fever and general malaise. Generally there is about a seven-day window between the tick bite and the onset of illness.

The proper to way to remove an imbedded tick is to put firm, steady traction -- in other words pull gently on the body of the tick -- until it releases its grip on the human flesh. This also works on dogs and cats. If you yank on the tick, the body will come off leaving the head and mouth parts behind. This can cause a localized skin infection.

Once a tick has been successfully removed, make a note of the date and time. Keep an eye on the person for signs of illness, like fever and fatigue, as well as an unusual rash. If your child or loved one becomes ill, be sure to tell the doctor that you removed an imbedded tick, show the doctor the site and tell him or her when you removed it. This can be a vital piece of medical history.

As I’ve said many times before, prevention is preferable to treating the illness once it develops. Wear a hat, long pants and a long sleeved shirt when going out in the woods or tall grass. Use of repellants with DEET is also a good idea. Check yourself and your pets for loose ticks and get them off before they bite. And, don’t panic if you find an imbedded tick. Remove it promptly and properly and write down the date and time. Most of the time the person won’t come down with a disease, but it’s always better to be prepared.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.