Hoosiers are urged to protect themselves against ticks when taking part in outdoor activities. The small, insect-like creatures are found in grassy, wooded areas throughout the state. Ticks tend to be most active during the late spring and early summer.
State health officials warn they can transmit a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Last year more than 200 cases of tick-borne illness were reported in Indiana.
Frequent tick checks during and after outdoor activities are recommended. If you’re going to be in grassy, wooded areas, state health officials also recommend wearing a long-sleeved shirt, light-colored pants, tucking the shirt in at the waist and pulling socks over the pants.
Using an EPA-registered insect repellent with active ingredients like DEET and picaridin can also repel ticks. So can applying products containing permethrin to clothing. Do not use permethrin should not be used on bare skin.
Once indoors, check for ticks on clothing, skin, pets and gear. Showering can help remove any unattached ticks. They usually need to be attached for several hours to a couple of days before they can transmit disease, so timely removal is important.
Ticks may be safely removed by using tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin and then pulling outward with steady and even pressure. Wash the area thoroughly after the tick is removed. Discard the tick by submerging it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag or container, wrapping it tightly in tape or flushing it down the toilet. Do not crush ticks with fingernails.
After the tick is removed, the area should be washed thoroughly. The tick should be discarded by submerging it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag or container, wrapping it tightly in tape or flushing it down the toilet. Ticks should never be crushed with the fingernails.
