This Time It Wasn't a Tick in the Line

It was a regular ol' black-legged tick, formerly known as the deer tick, that had gotten inside my sock and taken up residence in the skin on my right ankle. I found the critter this past Sunday evening, after I had come in the house from doing some things in the backyard.

Whether I picked up this unwanted attachment Saturday during the tournament or Sunday while I was in my backyard really isn't that important. Instead, I need to remember to check myself regularly in the future to avoid having to deal with any of the three tick-borne diseases that occur most often in Virginia.

Here's a synopsis of those diseases:

Lyme Disease - The black-legged tick is the only carrier of lyme disease in the eastern U.S. An infected tick must be attached to a human for 36 hours or more to transmit the disease. Most patients (about 75 percent) will see development of a red rash called an erythema migrans ("EM" or "bully's-eye" rash) around a tick-bite site within days or weeks of the bite. This rash expands up to 12 inches in diameter and often clears around the center. The rash does not itch or hurt, so it may not be noticed if it's on a person's backside or scalp. The initial illness may cause fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and swollen lymph nodes.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) - RMSF is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected American dog tick. The infected tick must be attached to a human for only about four hours to transmit the bacteria. RMSF is characterized by a sudden onset of moderate to high fever (which can last for two or three weeks), severe headache, fatigue, deep muscle pain, chills, and rash. The rash begins on the legs or arms, may include the soles of the feet or palms of the hands and may spread rapidly to the trunk or rest of the body. Certain antibiotics, such as tetracycline or chloramphenicol, may be effective in treating the disease. RMSF can be fatal, so if you're concerned about symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

Ehrlichiosis - Ehrlichiosis is transmitted by the lone star tick and most commonly by adult lone star ticks. An infected tick must be attached to a human for at least 24 hours to transmit the disease. Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and general discomfort. Illness can be severe, and up to 3 percent of infected people can die. Treatment will be determined based on symptoms, but ehrlichiosis responds rapidly to antibiotics.

While it's a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, you should be extra vigilant in warmer months (April through September) when ticks are most active. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from tick bites:

     * Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
     * Walk in the center of trails.
     * Use repellents that contain 20 to 30 percent DEET 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. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and remains protective for up to 70 washings.
     * Other repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be found at http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect/.
     * 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 also may be effective, particularly if the clothing is not wet.)

Before you arbitrarily dismiss this information, I urge you to consider that cases of lyme disease are on the rise in Virginia. In the last few years, cases have nearly doubled in the state. Nearly 200 cases are reported annually now in Fairfax County alone.

In my case, the tick extricated itself from my skin within about 20 or 30 minutes after coming to my attention. I was in the process of researching online how to remove the critter when I happened to look down and see it crawling across the mat under my desk chair. I subsequently captured and killed it, then disposed of it. Thus far, I have had no symptoms, and the spot where the tick had attached itself is slowly vanishing, but I'll stay alert.

Incidentally, here is how the Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises anyone to remove a tick:

     * Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
     * 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.
     * After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol (which is what I used), an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
     * Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in duct tape, or flushing it down the toilet (my choice of disposal). Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Avoid folklore remedies, such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible--not waiting for it to detach.