It’s the time of year once again to be thinking about the dangers of ticks.
The Berrien County Health Department’s Nick Margaritis tells us once it warms up, the ticks will be out there, ready to pounce on anyone passing by. Ticks tend to be found in warm, moist, and shady areas, but they can also be found stalking around dune grass. Even your lawn could be hosting them.
Lyme disease is the most common illness transmitted by ticks. Margaritas says the bacterial illness can be a long ordeal if not treated promptly.
“It can have fairly debilitating effects as far as headaches, muscle joint pain, just neurological type stuff,” Margaritas said. “People can develop arthritis.”
Margaritas says Berrien County usually gets between 40 and 50 Lyme disease cases per year. The deer tick is the bug that carries it. The lone star tick, which has also been found recently in Southwest Michigan, carries the illness that causes a meat allergy, although that’s less common.
Margaritas says the way to beat ticks is to take precautions if you’re going to be outdoors.
“Wearing long, light-colored clothing, that way you can spot ticks fairly easy. Using EPA-registered insect repellents like DEET and some other ones, and then applying a permethrin to clothing to prevent the ticks from actually coming onto you.”
Margaritas also recommends checking yourself for ticks and even showering once back inside. If you find a tick on yourself, a loved one or a pet, use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and slowly pull straight up with steady, even pressure. Then, wash the bite and your hands with soap and water.
You can report ticks that you’ve found to the state right here. The state will then identify the kind of tick you’ve found.
