Tick bites have been a bigger problem than usual this year for emergency rooms nationwide and a Putnam County Ag Extension Agent said the weather may be a factor locally.
Ag Extension Agent Wayne Key said the wet spring allowed ticks to populate, and they have acclimated well to the heat this summer. Key said there are more overgrown, debris filled areas for ticks to hide in and vegetate.
“There’s also the fact that we’ve got, I think, more and more people are getting outside and enjoying the outdoors,” Key said. “Trying to you know, visit the parks and visit the recreation centers and things like that. I think that has caused more folks to come in contact with ticks.”
Wayne said tick bites can be impactful because of the diseases they carry. In addition to skin irritation, Key said people may get illnesses like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Alpha-gal syndrome, which can cause a red meat allergy.
Key said he expects ticks to stick around for another 30 to 40 days. He said upcoming cooler weather will help reduce the tick population.
In the meantime, Key said people can protect themselves from tick bites by wearing long pants outside, especially when walking through wooded and overgrown areas.
Key said DEET-based repellent can keep ticks off of skin. Scented soaps, colognes, and perfumes, however, may be a tick attractant.
“They’re searching for blood,” Key said. “That’s their main source of food. So when they bite you, they’re trying to suck or draw blood from your skin. That’s what they’re looking for, that warm body. And I think the fragrances that we wear nowadays, I think that really draws them to you.”
Key said ticks are parasitic in nature. If people are bitten, Key said ticks can be removed with rubbing alcohol.
“If you have a tick that’s bit you, use a cotton swab,” Key said. “You can then, using alcohol, retract it’s mouth parts, which are attached to your skin, and hopefully at that point, you can pull the tick.
Key said ticks should be removed with tweezers, and people who are bitten should use a magnifying glass to ensure there are no head parts left in the skin. He said these parts may be stuck in the skin if removed incorrectly, and leaving them too long increases the risk of infection.
Key said if ticks are found on clothes, people should throw those garments in the dryer, since the heat can easily kill them.
Key said in Tennessee, the Lone star Tick and the American Dog Tick are the most common species. The Black Legged Tick is more common in eastern parts of the state.