The most common, how to prevent bites, how to eliminate them

Have you started doing any gardening work yet? Hiking? Are your dogs spending more time outside? You will need to take steps to protect yourself and your pet from ticks.

Ticks can become active as soon as the temperature rises above freezing. Ticks live in grassy, ​​brushy or wooded areas – or on animals. Many people are bitten by ticks while in their own yard or neighborhood. According to the CDC.

—> Quiz: What do you know about ticks?

The 5 Most Common Ticks in Michigan

There are more than 20 known species of ticks in Michigan. The ticks listed below are the five most common ticks people report seeing in Michigan.

Most of them survive by feeding on wild animals, but several species are known to bite humans and pets. Ticks can carry dangerous bacteria, viruses or parasites. Tick-related illnesses, such as Lyme disease, are prevalent in Michigan.

These types are:

• American dog tick (wood tick)

• Blacklegged tick (deer tick)

• Lone Star Tick

• Groundhog tick (groundhog tick)

• Brown dog tick (kennel tick)

—> Learn more: Five Most Common Ticks in Michigan

How to prevent tick bites

The CDC recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. THE The EPA has an online tool to find the best mosquito repellent for you.

You should avoid wooded and brushy areas, if you can, and stay in the center of trails when hiking. You can also tuck your pants into your socks and use pants that have an elastic waistband, as this can provide more of a barrier against ticks. Light-colored clothing also makes it easier to spot ticks

Check your clothing for ticks when you are finished spending time outdoors. You can dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks that may be hiding on dry clothes. If clothes must be washed first, the CDC recommends using hot water, as cold, medium-temperature water will not kill ticks.

Taking a shower within two hours of coming indoors can reduce your risk of contracting Lyme disease. According to the CDC, taking a shower can help wash away unattached ticks.

Where to check for ticks yourself:

• In and around the ears

• In and around the hair

• Under the arms

• Inside the navel

• Around the waist

• Between the legs

• Back of knees

Where to check your pet for ticks:

• In and around the ears

• Around the tail

• Around the eyelids

• Under the collar

• Under the front legs

• Between the hind legs

• Between the toes

How to safely remove a tick

You can use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal wrench (you can find these at most pet and outdoor stores) to remove the tick. You should grab the tick as close to the skin as possible.

If the tick’s mouthparts are still on the skin and cannot be removed easily, you should leave the bite site alone to heal. Wash the bite site and your hands with soap and water, then use an antiseptic on the bite site.

What to do if you find a tick

Michigan residents can have a tick identified for free through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

You can email a photo of the tick to MDHHS-Bugs@michigan.gov, or you can send the checkmark to MDHHS. Tick ​​submission kits can be picked up at your local health department.

The life cycle of a tick

Most ticks go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and adult.

According to the CDC, ticks must eat blood at every stage to survive. Ticks can take up to three years to complete their full life cycle. Some species of ticks, such as the brown dog tick, like to stay on the same host throughout all stages of their life. Blacklegged ticks can feed on mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, but they need a new host at each stage of their life.

Below is a graphic illustrating the life cycle of a blacklegged tick:

The image below shows a blacklegged nymphal tick feeding for 96 hours:

Ticks at all life stages can bite humans, but nymphs and adult females are most common on humans. Larvae are the smallest life stage of the tick that develop from eggs. For reference, blacklegged tick nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed. Nymphal and larval ticks are so small that they can be difficult to identify.

Tick-borne diseases

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and rash. If left untreated, it can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system.

Your doctor can diagnose Lyme disease based on your symptoms, physical signs, and possible exposure to infected ticks. Most cases can be treated with a few weeks of antibiotics.

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It is transmitted to humans through tick bites, mainly by the blacklegged tick.

People with anaplasmosis will often have fever, headache, chills, and muscle pain. Doxycycline is the drug of choice for adults and children of all ages with anaplasmosis, According to the CDC.

Reported cases of anaplasmosis among Michigan residents increased from 17 confirmed and probable cases in 2020 to 56 in 2021. Counties with the largest increase in anaplasmosis cases include Dickinson and Menominee in the Upper Peninsula and Manistee and Benzie in the Lower Peninsula.

Red meat allergy (Alpha-gal syndrome)

Alpha-gal syndrome is a serious, potentially fatal allergic reaction. This can occur after people eat red meat or are exposed to other products containing alpha-gal. According to the CDC, there is evidence that the molecule that causes red meat allergy can be found in the saliva of certain types of ticks.

Symptoms include rash, hives, nausea or vomiting, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure, dizziness or fainting, severe stomach pain. Symptoms usually occur 3 to 6 hours after eating meat or products containing alpha-gal.

The CDC said there is “increasing evidence” to suggest that AGS may be triggered by the bite of a lone star tick or blacklegged tick. They stressed that more research is needed to understand the role ticks play in triggering the response.

Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis is the name used to describe diseases caused by the bacteria Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. ewingii or E. muris eauclairensis.

It is transmitted to humans and animals through the bite of infected ticks, notably the star tick and the blacklegged tick.

According to the CDC, people with ehrlichiosis will often have a fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and sometimes an upset stomach. Doxycycline is the treatment of choice for adults and children.

—> Learn more: Tick-Borne Diseases from the CDC