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Searching for ticks following an outing is something many don't do, but should, according to Angela Horvath, a doctoral student in occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa.
Horvath researches vector-born disease under U of I Professor Kathryn Dalton. Ticks begin as larvae, she said.
"(At that stage), it literally looks like a speck of dust, so if you have a larvae on you, you're unlikely to know you actually have one or have been exposed," said Horvath.
She said larvae need to find a blood meal, as ticks do during each of its life cycle stages. She said they commonly seek out the white footed mouse in order to accomplish that. Those mice carry Lyme disease and other diseases, so when the larvae latch on and get the blood from the mouse, they often get Lyme disease from the mouse.
The next stage for a tick is a "nymph," about the size of a poppy seed. Horvath said they could easily go undetected.
"Nymphs are more dangerous -- there are more of them, and are more likely to be infected by the primary host -- usually that mouse. They're much smaller, and may appear as a small itchy bump that we don't think much about," said Horvath.
They are most prevalent in the May-June months.
When ticks are out searching for second and third hosts, Horvath said they usually go for humans and deer. She said humans tend to get nymphs and adults on them.
"Both can move about freely," said Horvath. "When they attach to a deer, the deer can move around carrying the ticks, and actually spread Lyme disease."
Which carry diseases?
Horvath said the most important tick to watch for is the black legged tick (commonly known as the deer tick -- seen as a little hairy). It is the tick that carries Lyme disease (and other serious illnesses) in Iowa.
The lone star tick (characterized by a star-like shape on its back) doesn't carry Lyme disease, but does carry other diseases.
The American dog tick and brown dog tick (the latter looks much like the black legged tick) carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a serious disease but not as common in Iowa.
Horvath said ticks like warm temperatures and humidity, especially in wooded areas, humid understory areas and at the edges of woods. They can crawl up blades of grass in prairies and brushland, etc. to get to a host that might be walking by. Most ticks, she said, will come from areas lower to the ground and not from up in trees, so hats are not a good preventive measure. She said adult ticks can emerge in the winter in temperatures of 45 degrees Fahrenheit and above.
"Do be aware of Lyme disease prevention when you're out in the woods, when you're walking in leaf litter, when there's brush, or you're along the edges of woods where ticks like to hang out," said Horvath.
She added that if farmers spend time in grassy areas around their fields, to be aware that ticks can be found there as well.
Horvath said there are "three-host ticks," which are the Lyme disease-carrying ticks in Iowa. Their life cycle is two to three years, depending on weather.
Prevention
Horvath said there is "no silver bullet" when it comes to preventing tick-borne diseases, since ticks have different preferences and habits. But she said the Centers for Disease Control recommends a chemical called, "Permethrin," which is highly effective when used on clothing and shoes to repel ticks, but is toxic to humans if applied directly to the skin. She said to never do that.
When applied to clothing it should be done outside (using gloves) and allowed to completely dry before wearing the clothing, she said. It will last for about six washes.
"The EPA has several approved insecticides including DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and oil of lemon eucalyptus," said Horvath, adding that the oil of lemon eucalyptus is something people tend to use when they don't want chemicals on their skin.
She said the others should not be applied to children under the age of 3 because it will affect their growing bodies.
Horvath said showering within two hours after being outdoors -- especially using a washcloth to brush away a tick that has not actually attached itself, is helpful in preventing the spread of disease.
Other preventive measures include putting clothing in the dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes (to kill ticks), visually inspecting gear for ticks, keeping homes clear of brush and visually inspecting bodies for ticks, using mirrors if necessary.
Horvath said ticks are looking for places where blood vessels are directly beneath the skin. Ticks can be most commonly found in and around ears, inside the belly button, between legs, the backs of knees, around the waistline, under the arms and in and around the hairline.
Pets should also be checked in and around the ears, around eyelids, under the collar, under the front legs, between the back legs, between the toes and around the tail.
Finding a tick
Horvath said to remain calm if a tick is found, and to not put anything on it so the physiology of the tick doesn't change, passing on any disease the tick may have in it.
"You have about 24 hours before the tick can give you Lyme disease, so get that tick off of you as soon as possible," said Horvath, pointing to the shower and tick check within the two-hour window of returning home.
She said the fine-needled tweezer is the best way to remove a tick, getting as close to the skin and the head of the tick as possible and pulling straight out.
"Grabbing onto the head is the most important part," said Horvath.
She said ticks can be sent to a university lab to be identified, but that lab may not be able to determine if they carry diseases. Lyme disease antibodies may take up to two weeks to show up in the human bloodstream. She added that ticks often arrive at the lab damaged. A photo sent to a lab is a better option for tick identification, she said.
Anyone developing symptoms should seek medical attention, said Horvath. Those symptoms may include a bulls eye rash (possibly indicating Lyme disease -- never wait to see a doctor if that happens); flu-like symptoms within one or two weeks after a tick bite, including muscle aches, fatigue, headache, chills/fever, or rash. She said a doctor may start a person on antibiotics immediately if there is a chance that Lyme disease could develop.