Pick That Tick         

    
By Daria Gionta

Learn how to remove this bloodsucking parasite before trouble begins.

When you see a tick attached to your skin, your first reaction to get

it off is understandable. However, it's important to know how to dislodge a tick safely to minimize the risk of contracting Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. 

Small and Stubborn
A tick has three active life stages: larva, nymph, and adult. The black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also known as the deer tick, and the Western black-legged tick are capable of transmitting Lyme disease bacteria to humans during the nymphal and adult stages. (The deer tick also transmits the pathogen that causes human granulocytic ehrlichiosis and babesiosis, other tick-related diseases contracted by humans.) At the nymphal stage, these ticks are no larger than the point of a pencil tip. The female adult grows to about the size of a sesame seed, yet can swell 10-fold in size when fully engorged, says Dr. Kirby C. Stafford III, chief entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. The nymphs and adult females, he says, are the main transmitters of Lyme disease.

The height of tick season is during the warm-weather months. Ticks live in shrubs, grassy areas, and open fields, and attach to humans and animals during close contact. They lodge themselves by inserting their mouthparts into the skin surface, secreting a cementlike substance into the wound to provide a firm attachment.

Remove ASAP
If you discover a tick on you, remove it promptly. Don't panic, because not all ticks are infected with diseases. Also, the probability of contracting a tick-borne disease, such as Lyme, is greatly reduced if the tick is dislodged within the first 24 to 48 hours.

Use a pair of very fine-point tweezers (also known as jeweler's forceps), which are available at drugstores and medical or veterinarian supply companies. The tick may appear embedded in the skin, but only its mouthparts penetrate the skin's surface. Insert the tweezer tips under the tick's body from the side and grasp its mouthparts or head at the skin surface. Gently pull the tick straight out, making sure that all the parts are removed. Then clean the bite with antiseptic.

Although there are a variety of tick-removal devices on the market, Dr. Stafford says, "many of these devices are designed for larger species, like the dog tick. I have found that a pair of fine-point tweezers is still your best bet." Do not crush, twist, or burn the tick with a match, or smother it with petroleum jelly, as you may have learned in the past. These procedures, according to Dr. Stafford, are not very effective and increase the chances of disease transmission. If you do not have tweezers available, use a tissue or leaf to grasp the tick with your fingertips and provide a barrier against the tick's bodily fluids if it should burst.

If the tick is engorged, or if you think you've been infected, have the tick tested by your local health department. Place the tick in a vial and insert a damp cloth or add alcohol to preserve it. Note the location and the date when the bite occurred, where the tick attached itself on the body, and your present health condition. Call your doctor to determine if any treatment is required. Watch for 30 days for any signs of infection such as an expanding red rash, flulike symptoms, and joint pain.

Precautions
During tick season, take steps to guard against becoming a host. Travel on cleared, well-populated trails; wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants in light colors (which make it easier to spot ticks); apply effective tick repellents periodically; and check your skin and clothing often.