Ticks, poison ivy common summer problems

Last week we covered dealing with the sun during the hot summer months and mosquitoes. This week we will focus on ticks and poison ivy, major issues when you are outside.

Ticks looking for a meal too – Mosquitoes are not the only blood suckers out there. A little 8-legged relative of spiders, ticks, are notorious human and pet pests. And they too benefit from the wet weather. More vegetation equals more places for ticks to breed and hide.

And just like the annoying flying blood suckers, they too can spread diseases to their human meals.

Although entomologists say that the chances of conducting Lyme disease or other tick borne diseases is very, very slim, not too many folks enjoy the thought of a little passenger hitching a ride while gorging themselves on human blood.

With that being said, Lyme disease is the most common vector-bord disease in the U.S. according to the CDC. Caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii, it is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans.

If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks.

Each year, 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported by the CDC, and there are probably thousands more that go undiagnosed, or reported.

And now a new tick-borne disease is spreading across the U.S. Babesiosis is an infection spread by the Lone-star tick. This infection can be asymptomatic or cause mild to severe illnesses that can be fatal. Symptoms, which can last for several weeks, typically show up between one and four weeks after a bite.

The most common symptoms include fever, chills, sweating, fatigue, and myalgias. They also include hepatosplenomegaly, or an enlarged liver, and hemolytic anemia, a disorder that causes red blood cells to be destroyed faster than they can be created.

Take these tips from the American Camping Association to help make your trip to the woods free from pesky ticks:

• Wear long sleeves buttoned at the wrist and long pants tucked into socks or boots. Take a hat to protect your head.

• Walk in the center of trails to avoid brushing up against dense vegetation where ticks hide. Avoid sitting directly on the ground, use a seat or cushion.

• Do a tick check every few hours or more often if in heavily infested areas. Visually check clothing and exposed skin. At the end of the day, do a final, full-body tick check.

• Use an insect repellant containing DEET. Lightly spray clothing, especially children’s, and avoid direct contact with skin.

• If you do find a tick, prompt removal of an attached tick will reduce the chance of Lyme disease infection. Use thin-tipped tweezers or forceps to grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible. Pull the tick straight upward with steady even pressure. This should remove the tick with the mouth parts intact.

• If the mouth parts break off, it will not affect the chance of getting Lyme disease. Disinfect the area; a topical antibiotic may also be applied. Other methods of tick removal (e.g. petroleum jelly to suffocate the tick) are not effective. Use of heat from matches to make the tick back out or gasoline or other chemicals are unacceptable.

• Note the site and date of the bite. Watch for signs and symptoms of Lyme disease, which include a rash around the bite area and flu-like symptoms. If such symptoms occur, see a doctor as soon as possible

Poison ivy — Many of you may remember the old Scout saying “Leaves of three, Let it be!” That is a good thing to keep in mind while walking through the woods. Poison ivy is the only member of a group, that also contains poison oak and poison sumac, found in this part of the state. Noted for its three leaflet arrangement and a shiny, almost waxy appearance, poison ivy can usually be distinguished from most other plants.

The problem with this perilous plant is that it can assume three different forms, a low growing ground cover, a larger bushy plant or a climbing ivy type plant. But the latter is not to be confused with another common climbing ivy with 5-leaflets known as Virginia creeper.

According to the doctors at the Mayo Clinic — Poison ivy rash is caused by a sensitivity to an oily resin called urushiol, which is found in the leaves, stems and roots of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.

At least 50 percent of the people who come into contact with these plants develop an itchy rash. The most dangerous type of exposure occurs when the plant is burned and the smoke is inhaled, which can affect your lungs.

Mild cases of poison ivy rash require no medical treatment. For more severe or widespread rashes, especially if it’s on your face or sensitive areas, your doctor may suggest taking corticosteroid pills, such as prednisone, for a few weeks.

The rash usually appears 8 to 48 hours after your contact with the urushiol. But it can occur from 5 hours to 15 days after touching the plant. The rash usually takes more than a week to show up the first time you get urushiol on your skin. But the rash develops much more quickly (within 1 to 2 days) after later contacts. The rash will continue to develop in new areas over several days but only on the parts of your skin that had contact with the urushiol or those parts where the oil was spread by touching.

The rash is not contagious. You cannot catch or spread a rash after it appears, even if you touch it or the blister fluid, because the urushiol will already be absorbed or washed off the skin. The rash may seem to be spreading. But either it is still developing from earlier contact or you have touched something that still has urushiol on it.

The more urushiol you come in contact with, the more severe your skin reaction. Severe reactions to smaller amounts of urushiol also may occur in people who are highly sensitive to urushiol.

The usual symptoms of the rash are:

· Itchy skin where the plant touched your skin.

· Red streaks or general redness where the plant brushed against the skin.

· Small bumps or larger raised areas (hives).

· Blisters filled with fluid that may leak out.

· Swelling of the face, mouth, neck, genitals, or eyelids (which may prevent the eyes from opening).

· Widespread, large blisters that ooze large amounts of fluid.

Prevention is the key to an unpleasant experience with poison ivy, but if you do manage to contact these nasty plants try these tips:

· Immediately wash areas of the skin or clothing that may have touched the plant.

· Sometimes the rash can be completely avoided by washing the affected areas with plenty of water within 10 or 15 minutes of contact. You could also try using a product that is made to cut oil, such as shampoo or dishwashing liquid.

· There are some products available at your local pharmacy that are made especially for treatment of poison ivy rash.

· To relieve itching and help dry blisters, apply wet compresses or soak the area in cool water. Antihistamine pills or calamine lotion may help relieve symptoms.

· If symptoms are severe, seek medical help.

While I have never tried it, a product called IvyX promotes itself as a pre-contact poison ivy solution. The company says it’s lotion and wipes “tighten pores to provide an invisible barrier to help protect against outdoor irritants such as poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.” Simply apply to exposed skin and start your work outdoors. It dries quickly and washes off easily with soap and water.

It is an unfortunate part of summer that we taste good to other creatures, but with a little prevention, you can still enjoy the outdoors around your house, or the woods without suffering the perils that nature can bestow.