So far this spring we have seen warm weather reach high 70’s and cooler temperatures back in the 30’s, but before long the warm weather will be here to stay. Whether you’re looking to get out and work in the yard or hit the trails to go mushroom hunting, the warm weather also brings back those yearly pests.
Jenna Link with Warren County Health Department Health Department reminds folks that when you are out and about this spring and summer, be mindful of ticks.
“It’s really important when you are out and about to wear protective clothing, you want to wear a repellent that has between 10 and 30 percent DEET,” said Link. “Then once you come back in, I always change clothes right away because you have been walking through the timber and grass and check every two to three hours to make sure [a tick] hasn’t crawled off you’re clothing and isn’t creeping up your arm or up to your scalp. They say if you catch them early, even if they attach, as long as they aren’t attacked for longer than four hours, typically they are not able to pass disease.”
There are several types of bacterial infections that you can get from a tick with the most common being Lyme disease. Lyme disease is passed through deer ticks which is commonly found in northern Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but Link reminds us that it is still out there.
“Early on, once you have a tick bite, it can be anywhere between 3 to 32 days before symptoms of Lyme disease will start. I always tell people if you find a tick attacked to you, you want to remove it properly,” said Link. “Don’t burn it, don’t put petroleum jelly on it, you really want to take tweezers, grab at the mouth, where it is attacked, squeeze firmly and pull straight out so that the head doesn’t detach. You want to make sure you wash it really well and use an antiseptic.”
Link adds that you should then mark the date of the bite on the calendar and look out for any symptoms of Lyme including fatigue, chills and fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes. Those who don’t notice any symptoms and Lyme goes undetected for years, Link says that neurological symptoms can set in, so it is important to catch it early.
Written by Kailey Foster
