With warmer weather on the way, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) wants to remind those living in and visiting the state to take precautions against tick and mosquito bites.
At least six different types of tick-borne diseases in humans have been reported in Missouri, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Lyme disease, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus. West Nile virus is the most common virus spread by mosquitoes in the United States. In 2018, 23 cases were reported in Missouri.
Many of these illnesses can be effectively treated if they are caught early, however, on occasion they can be deadly.
Despite the presence of ticks and mosquitoes, everyone can safely enjoy the outdoors by taking a few safety precautions.
DHSS recommends the following precautions to prevent tick and mosquito bites:
•Use an insect repellent with DEET, picaridin or IR3535 as the active ingredient. For ticks, look for a product with at least 20 percent concentration of one of these active ingredients.
•When possible, wear protective clothing (light colored, long sleeved shirts and pants) when outdoors to keep ticks off skin and make it easier to see ticks that are crawling on clothing.
•Avoid areas including brushy areas, tall grasses, wood piles, and leaf litter. When hiking, stay near the center of trails to avoid ticks.
•Reduce ticks around your home by keeping lawns mowed short, shrubs and trees trimmed, and remove leaf litter, wood piles, fallen branches, trash and debris from yards.
•Reduce mosquitoes around your home by cleaning out gutters and remove anything in the yard that could hold standing water.
•Check for ticks while outdoors and again after returning from the outdoors. If possible you should change clothes and shower soon after spending time outdoors.
An attached tick should be removed promptly. The longer it is attached, the greater the risk of infection. To remove ticks:
•Using tweezers, grasp tick near its mouth and as close to your skin as possible.
•Pull tick firmly, straight out, away from skin. Do not jerk or twist the tick.
•Do NOT use alcohol, matches, liquid soap or petroleum jelly to remove a tick.
•Wash your hands and the bite site with soap and water after the tick is removed. Apply an antiseptic to the bite site.
If bit by a mosquito, wash the site with soap and water. Anti-itch cream or an ice pack can alleviate pain or itching.
In general, a sudden high fever, severe headache, muscle or joint aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea can be signs of these types of diseases.
Additionally, a possible sign of tick-borne disease is a pus-filled wound that appears at the site of a tick bite, or a rash that follows a tick bite.
You should consult your health care provider if experiencing these symptoms.
For more information, contact the Daviess County Health Department at 660-663-2414.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Find out how to advertise here - Email us! [email protected]