Summertime is here!
While it's the best time of the year for spending time outdoors, it's also the time of year when
nymphal blacklegged tick
activity kicks into high gear.
These poppy seed-sized bloodsuckers are responsible for most cases of Lyme disease
, for two main reasons:
1) Because they happen to be active at the same time we are spending more time outdoors, and
2) Because they’re just SO darn tiny. Sometimes nymphs are able to complete their four-day-long meal without so much as ever being noticed. Other times, they’re noticed only after it’s too late.
But
this is no reason to stay inside
! We’ve packed lots of simple prevention tips into this issue that should make adopting tick safety into your and your family's daily routine a breeze.
Wishing you a happy and safe summer!
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I
n this issue:
Crowdfunding Update -
We surpassed our goal, thanks to you!
TickForecast –
Tick season is in full swing! Find out which ticks are active in your neck of the woods.
Focus on FAQ –
What about those sunscreen tick repellents?
TickSmart products –
Magnets, shower cards, learning kits, and more, to help you spread tick prevention awareness!
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Experiment Crowdfunding -- SUCCESS!
We cannot express enough thanks to everyone who contributed financially and by sharing our
Experiment.com
page. Together you helped us raise $8,631, surpassing our goal of $8,000.
These funds will help support a new technology platform for our TickSpotters program, and allow us to conduct a study on whether TickSpotters can help provide prevention education. Check out our Experiment page to learn more and to stay up-to-date on the study progress!
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Two day-fed nymphal blacklegged (deer) tick (
Ixodes scapularis
).
URI TickEncounter Resource Center
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According to reports here at TickEncounter, we’re in the midst of a strong “tick season." We say that in quotes because it's truly tick season year 'round but this is the time of year when many different species are all out at once.
Nymphal
blacklegged ticks
will be active from now until mid-summer in the southeastern, mid-Atlantic, northeastern, and upper midwestern parts of the country. Since they're only on their second meal of their lifetime, fewer are infected with Lyme disease or other diseases - 15-30% are infected with Lyme bacteria in the mid-Atlantic, northeast, and upper midwest, while 5-10% are infected in the southern part of their range. These tiny bloodsuckers will be looking for you from the ground as they emerge from the leaf litter so keep a close eye on the lower extremities up to the waist for any new "freckles."
Adult and nymphal
Lone star ticks
are also quite active right now in the southeast, Midwest, and mid-Atlantic regions…even extending into southern New England. They are aggressive human biters and males, females, and nymphs all can transmit some nasty diseases.
Studies suggest that about 10% of Lone Star ticks may carry
Ehrlichia chaffeensis
, the germ causing human monocytic ehrlichiosis and
Borrelia lonestari
, a non-Lyme disease borrelia. About that same % carry
Ehrlichia canis
, which can make a dog sick, too. In some people, bites from Lone Star ticks have been associated with development of a condition called STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness--cause unknown), and also development of a
curious allergy to red meat
. However some good news is that Lone star ticks
DO NOT transmit Lyme disease bacteria
.
You also are likely going to encounter adult male and female
American dog ticks
at this time of year. They are some of the most commonly-found ticks around the country, and make up the majority of our summer TickSpotters reports. While they can transmit the germ causing Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, they are rarely infected (between 1 and 7 out of 100 depending on where you live), but like all ticks, the longer that this tick is attached, the greater the chance that it may have transmitted an infectious dose of disease-causing germs. The saliva of American dog ticks, and their close cousins the Rocky Mountain wood tick, can also trigger an ascending paralysis in dogs that resolves shortly after the tick is removed. So, if your pet suddenly develops lameness, make sure you get to a veterinarian and look for a tick hidden in the fur. These ticks are often found wandering in homes, or even hanging out on the sunny side of a house as they warm themselves. But don't worry - they don't infest houses long-term and will die from drying out within a few days.
Brown dog ticks
, on the other hand DO infest houses, and are active all year (typically in warmer climates, like the southwest). In addition to quickly infesting homes, they are carriers of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and are capable of infecting dogs and (more rarely) humans.
Eradicating brown dog ticks
is difficult and costly, and is worth taking the extra time to check your dog after it has been at a shelter, kennel, or any facility where dogs are kept in close quarters.
Continue performing tick checks on people and pets after time outdoors, and definitely continue treating your pet with
tick preventative
each month! Check out our latest
TickNote
for more information.
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Larval blacklegged ticks
URI TickEncounter Resource Center
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Starting at the end of July and continuing into early fall teeny, tiny, six-legged larvae will be emerging. You may also hear this stage called a "seed tick." Bites from most larval tick species are generally nothing more than an annoyance since they don’t hatch infected with diseases. However, studies have found that depending on geographic location
blacklegged tick larvae
can hatch already infected (a process called transovarial transmission) with
Borrelia miyamotoi
, non-Lyme disease bacteria that cause a relapsing fever. However, it is currently unknown whether larval blacklegged ticks are capable of transmitting these bacteria to humans.
Though we’ve had a few reports already,
larval Lone Star ticks
will mainly hatch onto the scene in the eastern, southern, and Midwestern parts of the country in August. Fortunately, these larvae are pathogen-free but their bite is still capable of potentially triggering
an allergy to red meat
, as well as a pretty annoying (and sometimes long-lasting) itch response. Given that you’ll probably not just encounter one larval tick, but rather a whole lot at once, it’s important to wear tick repellent clothing. If you happen upon a swarm of larval ticks, you can tackle them with
duct tape
. Yet another use for this handy tool!
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Removing larval ticks with duct tape.
URI TickEncounter Resource Center
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Treat your outdoor summer clothing and shoes with
effective permethrin spray
. The spray will not stain or leave an odor on clothing once it has dried. One treatment using Sawyer permethrin spray lasts for up to six weeks or six washes, whichever comes first.
1.
Wearing disposable gloves, spray clothing article fabric with permethrin until saturated.
2.
Let dry overnight.
3.
Wear your TickSmart clothing to prevent ticks from latching on and climbing aboard.
We recommend treating your shoes on the first of the month in May, June, July, and August. Spraying your socks in time for larval tick season is also a TickSmart idea because they are so tiny, they can
crawl right through the fabric
! You can also purchase tick-repellent clothing, or send your own favorite outdoor clothes away to be
treated professionally
.
If you do encounter a tick, make sure you know the proper way to
remove it
with a pair of pointy tweezers. And once it’s removed,
don’t throw it away
! Save that tick (you may want to have it tested), snap a picture, and submit it to
TickSpotters
.
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Spotlight on: Combination skin repellent sunscreens
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Permethrin for clothes...but what do I put on my skin??
Sunscreens need to be reapplied liberally and often (roughly every two hours), which could result in an overexposure to the repellent. Most repellents should only be reapplied at least every 2-8 hours depending on the product. Some studies have actually shown that DEET can decrease sunscreen protection by a third, however others have recently called this into question. We suggest to play it safe and use them separately.
How to properly apply sunscreen and insect/tick repellent:
1.
Apply sunscreen first and allow it to dry. Reapply after swimming, heavy sweating, or every two hours (whichever comes first)
2.
Apply insect repellent after sunscreen, according to label instructions.
Curious about which repellent to use on your skin?
Check out the EPA's handy search tool to find effective repellents that you can feel comfortable using.
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TickSmart Tips for Summer
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Yard care is an often tedious but rewarding chore to get your outdoor space ready for relaxing. But have you considered targeting that cleanup to reduce tick encounters in your backyard? You can prevent tick encounters at home by making a plan for a
TickSafe yard
. Consider tactics like perimeter spray treatments, placing mouse-targeted devices, or simply keeping shrubs and grasses trimmed, deer fences in place, and wood piles cleared to make your yard unattractive to ticks and the wildlife that carry them. Check out our interactive diagram to see what changes you can make to ensure a
TickSmart backyard
.
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Wondering how to spread the word about ticks this summer? We’ve got you covered! Stock up on materials and tools to help support your community’s TickSmart effort. We have informative and eye-catching “I Just Found a Tick” handouts that include how to report a tick encounter to our TickSpotters program for a quick risk assessment report (usually in 24-36 hrs.). If that tick IS risky, instructions are given on how to submit that tick for disease testing at our partnering UMass lab. We also have magnets, shower cards, educational kits, and other
products available for purchase
.
We also have newly-designed tick ID magnets (left) for purchase! Keep one on your fridge, leave some at the library, the community pool, or have your kids give them out at camp.
It’s always a good time to get TickSmart and summer is a particularly good time, as ticks are frequently top of mind
.
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