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Protect Yourself Against Ticks

Many outdoor environments have ticks that can spread diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Lyme disease.

Young ticks are so small that they can be difficult to see, but both young and adult ticks can bite people. To help protect yourself from tick bites:

•avoid high grasses, forested and brushy spots, which are the most tick-infested areas —the center of trails and areas with trimmed grass are less attractive to ticks
•wear light-colored clothing so you can see ticks crawling on you.
•use repellent containing 20-50% DEET. You can also treat clothing with permethrin, which protects through several washings. Repellent will keep the mosquitoes away too!
•Keep ticks off your pets (use sprays, collars, or topical medications).
Always follow the directions on repellent packaging. After you have been outside, check your body, your clothing, your children, and your pets for ticks. Here's how to check for ticks, remove them from your clothes and how to remove them from skin safely once they've bitten.

Consult your healthcare provider if you become ill in the 1-3 weeks following a bite. It could be any number of illnesses.

Pesticides, responsible pet care, vegetation-free play areas, and landscaping techniques for tick-free zones can also help limit your exposure to ticks and other insects.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA

posted Jun 29, 2010

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