PLC Tick protocols

What are ticks? Ticks are parasites that feed on animal and human blood. There are more than 800 species of ticks around the world, with 70 found in Australia and 16 species have been reported as feeding on humans.

There are two major groups of ticks: hard ticks and soft ticks. • Hard ticks (family: Ixodidae) have a hard, flat body and elongated mouthparts with rows of backward pointing teeth. This group includes the most important species that bite humans. • Soft ticks (family: Argasidae) have a wrinkled leathery appearance. Only a few species of this type are found in Australia and they rarely come into contact with people.

Bush ticks The bush tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is a parasite of cattle, sheep and other warm-blooded animals. The Bush tick was first detected in Western Australia on cattle in the Walpole area in 1983 and has not spread widely, presumably due to its requirement for mild summer temperatures and moisture at ground level. Although tick infestations can be significant in the major endemic zones, this has not been seen in Western Australia.

Common Kangaroo Tick The Common Kangaroo Tick, or Amblyomma triguttatum, is a terrestrial invertebrate that lives on the outside of a host animal. This pesky creature especially likes to latch onto warm mammals such as a kangaroo or wallaby. An animal that lives this way is called an ectoparasite. The Common Kangaroo Tick varies greatly in size between individuals. (Un)engorged females can be quite small at 0.4-0.5cm, but after they feed (become engorged) they can grow to 2.5cm long. These ticks are dark reddish brown in colour, with silvery patches on their head regions.

Woylie Tick In 2017 a new species of tick was discovered in WA. Named the Ixodes woyliei because it has a taste for the blood of the critically endangered Woylie, found now only in Dryandra Woodland near Narrogin and the Upper Warren River near Manjimup.

How to prevent tick bites? • Wear a long-sleeved shirt • Wear long pants tucked into socks • Wear light coloured clothing (to make it easier to see ticks on clothes before they get to the skin) • Wear clothing treated with permethrin* • Apply an insect repellent containing diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET)

* Permethrin-treated clothing is considered the most effective means of preventing tick bite in tick infested areas. Permethrin wash kits for treating clothes can be obtained from outdoor stores.

Once home, all clothing should be removed after visiting tick infested areas and placed into a hot dryer for 20 minutes to kill any tick that could still be on the clothing. The entire body should then be checked for ticks of all sizes and stages, paying particular attention to areas behind the ears and the back of the head or neck, especially on children.

Removing ticks

If you suffer from allergic reactions to ticks, only attempt to remove a tick whilst at a medical facility such as an Emergency Department.

In non-allergic individuals or for larval or nymphal stage ticks: 1. Use Wart-off as per its directions. 9 out of 10 ticks will then fall off. There is currently no evidence to suggest that there is any benefit spraying the tick with an aerosol insect repellent containing pyrethrum or a parathyroid chemical, but a scabies cream might help. Do not use irritant chemicals such as methylated spirits.

2. If the tick doesn’t fall off, use fine pincer tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upwards with steady pressure, avoid jerking or twisting the tick. If there is difficulty removing all of the tick, or a person suffers any symptoms after removal, seek medical attention urgently.

3. Place the tick into a zip-lock bag (or urine sample bottle). On the bag/bottle write: a. What part of the body the tick came off** b. Where the tick came from (e.g. Kalbarri, Margaret River) c. The name of the person the tick came off

4. Keep the tick(s) for 3 months (PLC storage in the shed).

** When removing a number of ticks from one person at one time, and using multiple containers for storage is impractical, one container may be used for all the ticks.

NB. PLC has become more conscious of ticks since an incident in late 2017, when a girl became significantly ill after two ticks were not fully removed from her. Keeping the ticks for analysis can expedite diagnosis and treatment.

Also, we discourage students from removing ticks themselves (it may become necessary if the tick is situated in a private area). In either case, when travelling in areas where students are likely to come across ticks, instructors should brief students on the information contained above.