Tick Tock, Tick Tock by Steve Knapik, R.N

Tick Tock, Tick Tock by Steve Knapik, R.N.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock the tick ran up your sock. If you have ever fished the grassy north or south shore areas, back bays or walked thru many of the wooded areas of Long Island, then there is a very good chance you have come in contact with one of Long Island’s smallest but most virulent insects, the tick. While most people will never acquire tick borne diseases it’s always best to be alert when in tick territory. This article is meant to inform you of the potential dangers of tick borne diseases here on Long Island, and is not meant to diagnose or treat you. Only your physician can make a proper diagnosis of any tick borne illness.

Long Island is home to several common ticks some of which can make you sick if not properly diagnosed. Typical ticks seen on Long Island are; The American Dog Tick, the Black Legged Tick also known as the Deer Tick and the Lone Star tick. I have been bitten by all three over the last 40 years. Fortunately I have never developed any disease associated with ticks. Here is what you should be looking for:

Long Island’s most common tick is the American Dog Tick, (Dermacentorvariabilis). This tick is approximately 4 to 6 mm long with the females slightly larger than the males. These ticks are usually brown in color with small white speckles. They usually target small animals and humans. They will engorge themselves with the blood of their host. When fully engorged they can be as large as a raisin. While most of these ticks harbor no diseases they can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) “typical symptoms include: fever, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, and muscle pain. A rash may also develop, but is often absent in the first few days, and in some patients, never develops. Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be a severe or even fatal illness if not treated in the first few days of symptoms.”

(Dog Tick Photo obtained from the CDC website)

The Black legged Tick a.k.a the Deer Dick (Ixodes scapularis) here on Long Island has been long implicated in causing debilitating Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) and Babesiosis (Babesia ) a microscopic parasitic disease of the red blood cells. Lyme disease was first discovered in 1975 in Lyme Connecticut where several people had developed the disease. Commonly known here on Long Island as the deer tick, it is thought that the white-tailed deer population is the source of this disease. However, one interesting fact is that although deer can spread the tick population within an area via piggyback only a small number of deer actually harbor the disease. The tick usually acquires the Lyme borreliosis via the white footed field mouse.

This tick is approximately 1 to 2 mm long with the young nymph looking as small as a poppy seed. Although the adult tick can infect you with Lyme disease it is this tiny nymph that is mostly responsible for transmitting Lyme disease during the spring and summer months. Lyme disease can cause a multiplicity of symptoms from achy joints, fever, headaches, unusual fatigue, neurological disorders, cardiac problems and severe physical debilitation when not treated early. An early sign of a deer tick bite may be a circular expanding rash also known as a “Bull’s-eye rash.” About 70 to 80% of those infected will develop this rash at site of the bite after a delay of 3 to 30 days. However, not everyone will always develop the rash. It usually takes about 36 to 48 hours for the attached tick to infect you with enough of the Lyme borreliosis for the first signs of infection to appear. If left untreated long term complications of Lyme disease could disseminate leaving you with lifelong problems. Keep in mind that many people are completely unaware that they were ever bitten by a tick in the first place. Lyme disease can be successfully treated in most cases, yet you can always be reinfected at any time so constant precautions should always be on your mind when walking near infested areas.

(Deer Tick Photo obtained from the American Lyme Disease Foundation website) The Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) named for the Lone Star state of Texas. The female tick is easily identified with a single star like mark on its body. Its size is approximately 3 to 4 mm in length. This little bugger can cause a host of problems, but it has not been implicated in transmitting Lyme disease. The most common disease is known as STARI (Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness). Those infected complain of rash, fever and body aches. In addition the Lone Star tick can cause Ehrlichiosis, a bacterial infection causing flu like symptoms, i.e. fever, body aches, headache and fatigue. Recently the Lone Star tick has been thought to cause red meat allergies in some of its victims. Apparently the tick infects its human host with a carbohydrate or sugar called Alpha Gal that is found in most land animals but not in humans. Once a person is infected with the Alpha Gal carbohydrate the human body creates antibodies against the sugar. When red meat from a land animal is then consumed a severe allergic response can occur such as hives, itching, gastrointestinal issues, and respiratory problems. It is believed that this type of allergy will not be permanent, leaving its victim a lettuce eating vegetarian, but will fade away with time.

(Photo obtained from the Virginia Cooperative Extension website)

Your first line of defense against tick bite is prevention! During the warm summer months many of us wear less protective clothing thus giving the tick an opportunity to feast. Remember, ticks can also be present during the cooler months of the late fall and winter. Most ticks have a unique ability to situate themselves in grassy areas that will allow them to hitch hike a ride on your body. This positioning is called “questing” in which they can sense the body heat and carbon dioxide of a nearby host. Once attached to you they will crawl along your clothes until it finds a nice warm tasty area of your body to feed. Your best defense is to avoid areas that ticks usually cluster such as grassy or high brush areas. Since most of us fish near beach dunes avoiding such areas may be a challenge. If possible avoid walking on the edges of such areas and try walking in the center of these trails. Tucking your pants in your socks is a good idea when walking these trails but it is not enough to prevent a tick bite.

The Center for Disease Control recommends the following: “Use repellents that contain 20 to 30% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth. Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer Bathe 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. Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. (Some research suggests that shorter drying times may also be effective, particularly if the clothing is not wet.”) How to remove a Tick safely Whatever you do, never ever try burning a tick out of your body using a match, lighter or cigarette. It will not cause the tick to “back out” instead you may end up burning yourself or your soon to be ex-friend. Avoid using Vaseline, kerosene, bug spray or other old fashion remedies. They will not smother or necessarily kill the tick. Following the CDC recommendations below is all you should need to know about safe tick removal

The Center for Disease Control recommends the following : (From the CDC website) How to remove a tick 1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. 2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. 3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water. 4. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers. 5. If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick.

Pictures obtained from the CDC website)

Conclusion: Remember, while most people will never develop a tick borne illness, Long Island has one of the highest numbers of reportable Lyme disease cases in the country. Simple prevention and self surveillance can help prevent you from developing a tick borne illness that could cause serious debilitating issues for you in the future. If you think you have developed any symptoms related to a tick bite check with your primary care physician and get tested. Fish smart, stay safe and always be aware of the areas that you are fishing. I hope that your next biggest bite comes from a huge fish and not from a tiny tick.