As the summer heats up, so does tick activity. These tiny creatures commonly live near brush piles, fields with tall grass, and wooded areas, often latching onto large animals, making humans a perfect target. Ticks can bite the skin and feed on the blood to directly transfer illnesses, or indirectly infect creatures by transferring tick blood, lymph fluids, or excretions into the mouth, eyes, nose, or open wounds.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 50,000 tick-related illnesses were reported in 2019. Knowing how to prevent tick bites and what to do when bitten is necessary while in the field.
Know the Risks
Some ticks can transfer illnesses to their host while feeding. Be especially wary of deer ticks, who can infect creatures with Lyme disease between 36-48 hours of feeding. Around 30,000 Lyme disease cases are reported annually, according to the CDC.
Tick bites are generally painless and lead to minor symptoms, including soreness and skin color change. However, Lyme disease from deer ticks can last much longer, causing joint pain and swelling, severe headaches, and irregular heartbeat. The bite wounds can resemble a bullseye pattern, and symptoms may worsen over time, lasting for weeks or months.
Staying Safe from Tick Bites
Before starting work, cover as much skin as possible. Make sure to:
- Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and work gloves.
- Tuck your shirt into your pants, sleeve cuffs into your gloves, and pant legs into your work boots.
- Spray your clothes with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered tick repellant.
Ticks may linger on your clothes when returning home. Eliminate any remaining ticks by doing the following:
- Place clothing in the dryer for 20 minutes as heat kills ticks.
- Use a mirror to thoroughly inspect your body.
- Use tweezers to remove any ticks, ensuring the head and body are removed together. Wash the bite wound with soap or rubbing alcohol.
- Take a shower to rinse off lingering ticks not attached to the skin.
- Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen. Contact a doctor if you suspect you were bitten by a deer tick or have concerns about bite wounds and symptoms.
Dawood in Action
We equip our workers with the appropriate tick-repellant spray and train our employees to avoid tick bites through computer-based training on ticks and tick-borne diseases.