Always trying to get under your skin

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jordan Phillips
  • 66th Medical Squadron Public Health Office
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  With warmer weather here, more people are spending time outdoors. Unfortunately, warmer weather means the emergence of ticks whose bite can transmit several infections, including Lyme disease, 66th Medical Squadron officials warn.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 300,000 people across the United States are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, with a peak incidence in the Northeast from May through August.

Ticks position themselves on tall grass or plants waiting for an animal or a person to brush against it so they can latch onto fur or clothing. The tick then burrows its head into the skin and feeds.

Taking appropriate measures to prevent tick bites, and removing ticks early, will greatly reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases. 

The CDC suggests these preventative measures:

- Avoid tick habitats such as woody and brushy areas.
- Use insect repellent with DEET or Permethrin on clothing when outdoors.
- Remove ticks as soon as possible.

To find and remove ticks, officials from the CDC suggest following these steps:

- Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body.
- Closely examine personal gear and pets when coming indoors.
- Bathe or shower immediately upon coming indoors.
- Wash and dry clothes as soon as possible.

Ticks commonly attach under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist and especially in the hair, according to the CDC.

When it comes to tick removal, avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin.

In order to effectively remove a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. The goal is to ensure the entire tick is removed. After the tick is removed, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub or soap and water.

Common symptoms of tick-borne illness include: fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic expanding red "bull's eye" skin rash called Erythema Migrans. If left untreated, infection may spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system. Fortunately, when identified early, most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with common antibiotics.

The 66th Medical Squadron's Public Health office accepts ticks from on or off base for testing when collected in a small clear bag or container with no liquid. Public Health officials ask they not be stuck to clear tape. Laboratory results are usually available within two weeks.

To learn more about tick-borne infections including Lyme disease or the best methods to prevent tick exposure, visit www.CDC.gov or http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/id/epidemiology/ticks/.   

For further information contact the Public Health Office at 781-225-6272.