KANSAS
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT
BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary

April 16, 1999

Contact: Don Brown, 785-296-1529

Warm Weather Signals the Start of Tick Season

The return to Spring's warm temperatures initiates the growing season for ticks, some of which can spread infectious diseases to humans. Infected ticks can spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and tularemia.

The good news is these infections are easily prevented and with early diagnosis and treatment chances for recovery are excellent.

"Simple precautions provide good protection against tick-borne diseases," said Dr. Gail Hansen, the State Public Health Veterinarian with the Department of Health and Environment. "Most of the tick-borne illnesses are not transmitted until the tick has been feeding for at least 24 hours."

Dr. Hansen advises hikers, campers, and others spending significant time outdoors to:

• walk in the middle of trails, away from tall grass and bushes,
• wear long pants tucked into high socks, over-the-ankle shoes, long-sleeved shirt, and a hat to prevent ticks from getting to your skin,
• use tick repellants, especially those with DEET, according to the label instructions,
• wear light colored clothing to make the ticks easier to see, and
• check yourselves every three hours for ticks when outdoors for extended periods.

"If a tick is found attached to your body, there's a proper way to remove it," said Dr. Hansen. "Grasp the attached tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible, pull straight out with a steady pressure. Avoid handling the tick with your bare hands."

Don't crush or puncture the body of the tick which may contain infectious fluids. Thoroughly disinfect the area of the bite and wash hands immediately after removing the tick. Notify your physician if the tick was not completely removed.

Lyme disease symptoms include a large, reddish rash around the bite area or elsewhere. The rash is often ring-shaped, may expand from the original site, and is usually not itchy. Multiple rash sites may occur. During the rash stage, or sometimes before the rash, other symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, stiff neck, muscle or joint pain may be present.

These symptoms may last several weeks. If untreated, complications such as meningitis (inflamation around the brain), facial palsy, or heart abnormalities may occur. Swelling and pain in the large joints may recur over many years. The ticks that carry Lyme disease are very small, usually the size of a sesame seed.

There is a new vaccine for Lyme disease that is 80 percent effective after all doses have been given. The initial series of three takes a year to complete and yearly boosters are recommended. The vaccine is not approved for children under 15 or for pregnant women. KDHE reminds people that the vaccine protects only against Lyme disease and not any of the other tick-borne infections; therefore, vaccinated individuals should continue to take the precautions described above when spending time outdoors.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) symptoms usually appear within two weeks of the bite. The disease is characterized by sudden onset of moderate to high fever (which can last for two or three weeks), severe headache, fatigue, deep muscle pain, chills and rash, and can be fatal if not treated. The rash typically begins on the legs, arms, soles of feet, or palms and may spread rapidly to the rest of the body. Ticks that carry RMSF are larger ticks than those that transmit Lyme disease and are often referred to as "wood ticks" or "dog ticks."

Ehrlichiosis symptoms can mimic those of many diseases. If untreated or improperly treated, this newly discovered disease can be fatal. It is spread by many different types of ticks, including the same ticks that carry Lyme disease.

Tularemia, or rabbit fever, can be transmitted by ticks, directly from an infected animal, or more rarely by inhaling dust contaminated with the organism. The ticks that transmit tularemia are similar to the ticks that transmit RMSF. If tularemia is acquired from a tick bite, there is often an ulcerated area where the tick bite occurred or swelling in the nearby lymph nodes. Fever, chills, and headache often follow and the disease can be fatal if not treated.

During 1998, Kansas received 13 confirmed reports of Lyme disease, three of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and four of rabbit fever. Ehrlichiosis is not a reportable disease in Kansas, but KDHE is aware of at least two confirmed cases in Northeast Kansas in 1998.

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