Oklahoma and the great outdoors Preventing tick-borne illness Published Aug. 9, 2007 By Master Sgt. Stan Knutelski and Dr. Micah Bahr 97th Medical Group ALTUS AFB -- -- It's finally summer, and when it's not too hot, most of us enjoy the chance to get outside and do those things we love to do: bicycling, hiking, fishing, camping. You name it, and there are people out there taking advantage of the long summer days. When you're packing up the gear, don't forget that summer weather also brings our little friends out too. Most of us know when mosquitoes are a problem; they bite and you know it. Ticks bite, but you don't usually feel it, and unless it's in a place you can easily see, they may fall off before you ever know they were there. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), Oklahoma consistently ranks among the states with the highest reported number of tick-borne illnesses every year. Last year there were 183 cases; this year there have been 35 confirmed cases thus far. These illnesses include Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), ehrlichiosis, and tularemia in order of prevalence. Of the 183 cases in 2006, over 75% were confirmed to be RMSF. Ticks are widespread throughout the state, but are thankfully more prevalent in the wooded, eastern portion of the state. The majority of infections are from two common ticks, the American dog tick and the Lone Star tick. Both are indigenous to southwestern Oklahoma. Symptoms of all tick-borne illnesses may include fever, headache (often severe), muscle aches, rash, vomiting, abdominal pain, and in the case of tularemia swelling of the lymph nodes near the bite. Most people with confirmed tick-borne illness respond to a course of common antibiotics. Preventing tick-borne illness is pretty simple. The OSDH recommends the following measures: n Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to see. n Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks to deprive ticks of attachment sites. n Wear closed-toe shoes, not sandals. n Hikers and bikers should stay in the center of trails to avoid grass and brush. n Check for ticks at least once per day, particularly along waistbands, in the armpits and groin area. n Use a tick repellent with DEET on skin and clothing according to directions. n Use a tick repellent with permethrin on clothing only and according to directions. If you do find a tick attached, remove as outlined below. Use the same procedure when removing ticks from your animals. n Use tweezers, or fingers wrapped in tissue, to grasp the tick as close to the surface of the skin as possible. Try not to twist or jerk the tick as you pull. n Use gentle, steady pressure to pull the tick from the skin. n Do not squeeze the body of the tick at any time while it is attached - you can release disease-causing organisms into the bite wound. n Do not squeeze the body of the tick to kill it after it has been removed - you can force disease-causing organisms out of the tick and onto/into your skin. n Do not use matches, gasoline or nail polish remover as methods of tick removal. n Note the date of tick removal on your calendar. n Wash clothing and inspect your body for additional ticks - don't forget the back and the scalp If you experience these symptoms within 14 days of a tick bite, or if you have been outdoors and have these symptoms even if a bite was not noticed, contact your physician. If you remove a tick, place it in a container and bring it with you to the clinic and the Public Health staff can assist your doctor in identifying it. Get outside and enjoy the summer weather. But remember to take a few simple precautions to reduce the chance of tick bites and contracting a tick-borne illness.