Ticks. The first thing that often comes to mind is what these parasites can carry — Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and, in rare cases, a disease causing paralysis.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium contracted through blacklegged tick bites. It causes rash, joint pain, flu-like symptoms and fatigue, but can be cured with antibiotics.

Ticks carrying Lyme disease in the eastern United States, known scientifically as Ixodes scapularis, have begun to noticeably spread across the country in the last 20 years, according to a 2016 report from the Journal of Medical Entomology.

“The number of counties in which I. scapularis is considered established (six or more individuals or one or more life stages identified in a single year) has more than doubled,” the report states.

Thirty-seven states have documented seeing this particular blacklegged tick, and 1,420 of 3,110 continental United States counties reported a presence of the tick, according to the JME report.

Lyme disease has been confirmed in Beaufort County in years past, but it is still a rare occurrence, according to Jim Madson, director at the Beaufort County Health Department.

Madson said the county has only seen two confirmed cases of the disease since 2000, and whether the disease was contracted here or elsewhere could not be established. He said the more prevalent tick-borne illness is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, of which there are a handful of confirmed cases every year.

No matter the tick or the disease, preventative methods are the same, according to Madson.

“With all diseases, you want to get diagnosed as early as possible,” he said. “You want to avoid all ticks in the area, if possible.”

As expected, residents who spent more time outdoors are more susceptible to tick bites, so they should be more vigilant in preventing the bites.

“The best way to do that is to wear DEET on exposed skin, and that keeps them from biting onto you,” Madson said. “On your clothing, you can use permethrin.”

If a tick is found attached to the skin, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of tweezers to remove the tick — a method Madson also suggested.

The CDC says to: “Grasp the tick firmly and as close to your skin as possible. Pull the tick’s body away from your skin with a steady motion. Clean the area with soap and water.”

Madson said trying to remove a tick with one’s fingers can cause the body to pop, releasing bacteria and increasing the chance of infection, or the head could remain lodged in the wound.

“Try not to pop it out. It’s best to get a pair of tweezers,” he said. “You want to check yourself frequently after coming out of the woods.”

People are encouraged to check for ticks in their scalp, armpits and groin area. Madson said ticks also like to attach near the beltline.

Residents should be mindful of their environment and inspect their bodies for all ticks, especially during the summer months. If experiencing symptoms of tick-borne illness, don’t ignore them. Officials recommend visiting a doctor as soon as possible.

 

SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE

Early signs and symptoms (3 to 30 days after tick bite)

• Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes
• Erythema migrans rash at site of the tick bite: Occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of infected persons; expands gradually over a period of days; may feel warm to the touch but rarely itchy or painful; sometimes shaped like a bull’s-eye.

 

Later signs and symptoms (days to months after tick bite)

• Severe headaches and neck stiffness
• Additional rashes on other areas of the body
• Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly the knees and other large joints.
• Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face)
• Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints and bones
• Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat
• Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
• Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
• Nerve pain
• Shooting pains, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
• Problems with short-term memory

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention