As warmer weather brings more outdoor activity, the Lincoln County Health Department is encouraging the community to take precautions to prevent tick-borne illnesses. Ticks are typically most active in Wisconsin from May to November. Exposure to ticks can occur during hiking, gardening, camping, and even in your own backyards.
“Statewide tick bite-associated emergency department (ED) visits are on the rise”, said Lexi Buntrock, Public Health Promotion and Education Specialist. “The good news is that simple prevention measures and routine tick checks can significantly reduce the risk of tick-borne illnesses and help protect you and your family.”
How to Prevent Tick Bites
By following the steps below, you can help protect you and your family from ticks and the illnesses they carry:
- Use EPA-registered tick repellent, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Wear clothing that will help shield you from ticks (think long-sleeved shirts, pants, tall socks - tucking them in to create a “tick barrier”).
- Tumble dry your clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that may have come in on your clothes after being outdoors.
- Prevent ticks on your pets. Speak with a veterinarian about tick treatment.
Check for Ticks After Outdoor Activities
Deer ticks are small and may be difficult to find, so tick checks should be done on all parts of the body carefully and thoroughly. They can be as small as poppy seeds. Pay special attention to areas such as the head, scalp and body folds (armpit, behind the knee, ears, belly button, and between legs). Consider showering within two hours of coming inside. Don’t forget to check your pets for ticks as well, as they can carry ticks into your home.
What to Do If You Find a Tick
Removing ticks timely is essential. To properly remove a tick:
- Using a tweezer, grab the tick as close as possible to the skin and pull upwards (away from the skin). Do not twist.
- Clean the bite site and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water after removing the tick.
Folk remedies like Vaseline, nail polish remover, or matches are not safe or effective methods of tick removal. These remedies can irritate the tick, causing it to “spit” bacteria directly into the wound. This can increase the risk of being infected with a tick-borne illness.
Watch for symptoms. Symptoms typically occur anywhere from 3 days to 6 weeks after being bitten depending on the type of tick-borne illness, and can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms may include: fever, muscle/joint aches, fatigue, headaches, rash. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms.
Submit a Tick
The Marshfield Clinic Research Institute (MCRI) is collecting ticks to help track and understand how often people are exposed in the community. You can help this research by submitting any ticks you find. Free tick collection kits, which include pre-paid return postage, are available for pickup at the Lincoln County Health Department (607 N Sales St, Suite 101, Merrill) during business hours. To get more details, contact the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute directly at 1-715-389-7796 or tics [at] marshfieldclinic.org (tics[at]marshfieldclinic[dot]org).
To learn more about the different types of diseases spread by ticks, visit the Department of Health Services (DHS) website.