Since the start of 2024 in Virginia, we’ve seen the highest level of rainfall and the 8th warmest winter in recorded history. Ticks will certainly be more prevalent in our area this Spring and Summer. It’s important to be aware of the predicted extreme tick season in Virginia and know the signs of a tick bite so you can avoid contracting a tick-borne illness. Ticks can carry different kinds of diseases, so you should be aware of how to protect yourself from bites and what symptoms to watch for if you have been bitten. The tick-borne disease that occurs most often in Virginia is Lyme Disease.
The Tick
The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), formerly known as the deer tick, is the only carrier of Lyme disease in the Eastern U.S. An infected tick must be attached to a human for 36 hours or more to transmit Lyme disease.
Symptoms:
Most patients (about 75%) will see the development of a red rash called a “bull’s-eye” rash around a tick bite site within days or weeks of the tick bite. This rash expands (up to 12 inches in diameter) and often clears around the center. The rash does not itch or hurt, so it may not be noticed if it is on a person’s back-side or scalp.
The initial illness may cause fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and swollen lymph nodes.
Treatment:
When Lyme disease is detected early and treated with an appropriate antibiotic (e.g., doxycycline), it is easily cured.
How To Protect Yourself From Tick Bites:
While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, be extra vigilant in warmer months (April-September) when ticks are most active.
Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
- Walk in the center of trails
- Repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be found at https://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect/
- Wear socks and boots, and tuck your pants into your boots. Cover your hair as well.
- Bath or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair. - Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
What to do if you find a tick:
If you do find a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. The key is to remove the tick as soon as you find it or are able to. Using nail polish, petroleum jelly or heat to make the tick detach from the skin won’t work. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick, as this can cause its mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If you are unable to remove the mouth parts easily, leave them alone and let the skin heal.
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
More information on preventing tick bites, removing ticks, checking your pets for ticks and stopping ticks from getting into your yard is available from the CDC HERE. Ticks are active anytime the weather is above freezing, but especially now to November.
If you think you may have a tick issue on your property due to the 2024 extreme tick season in Virginia, Holistic Pest Solutions can help! Give us a call 434 842 1700.
