Michele Stanton, M.S. Kenton County Extension Agent for Horticulture Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program Amelia, Ohio
Credits Dr. Glen Needham, Ph.D., OSU Entomology (retired), Air Force Medical Entomologist Cindy Meyer, OSU Extension, Butler County Buckeyes for Lyme Awareness http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/ www.tickencounter.org http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/ipm/manual/ticks.cfm http://www.capcvet.org/ The Companion Animal Parasite Council 2
Our Big Tick Problem! G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University
From an Ohio Department of Health memorandum dated April 28, 2014
Our three main ticks Tick biology The diseases they carry in Ohio Tick prevention Disease treatment 5
Our Three Tick Bad Guys 1. Deer tick (Blacklegged tick*), Ixodes scapularis 2. Lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum 3. Dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis Note: The Western Blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, is only found west of the Rockies. 6
Here They Are: 7
How Do You ID a Tick? All adult ticks have 8 legs Ticks have two main body sections: head and body Ticks are NOT insects they belong to a class of Arthropods called Arachnids, related to mites & spiders.) Notice the presence or absence of obvious body ornamentation or patterning. 8
Ticks have four life stages: Egg Larvae (may only have 6 legs as larvae) Nymph Adult Ticks live one or two years, depending on species. Ticks need blood to survive. Ticks must feed at least once per life stage. Ticks can survive for months after a single feeding. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/life_cycle_and_hosts.html 9
Female Lone Star Tick laying eggs http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/lone_sta r_tick.htm Female ticks lay their eggs all at once. Eggs are laid on soil in a humid location. Eggs hatch in 30-60 days. Newly hatched larvae crawl to a clump of grass or other area to wait for passing hosts. 10
How Ticks Feed Ticks find hosts by detecting C0 2 and body odors, or by sensing body heat, moisture, or vibrations. To start feeding, a tick grasps the skin and cuts into the surface. The tick inserts its feeding tube. Many species also secrete cement-like substances that keeps them firmly attached. A feeding tube can also have barbs to keep it in place. 11
Biological warfare at its finest: Ticks in action Ticks saliva can contain anesthetic properties so its host is unaware of its presence, and anti-clotting & antiinflammatory factors so that the wound stays open. Photo: Los Angeles County West Vector & Vector-Borne Disease Control District 12
How diseases are spread Ticks suck blood slowly for several days. If the host has a blood-born infection, the tick ingests the pathogens during feeding. Saliva from the tick enters the skin of the next host during feeding. If the tick contains a pathogen, it is transmitted. A tick must feed for at least 24-48(72) hours for disease transmission to occur. After feeding, most ticks drop off. At its next feeding, the tick can transmit an acquired disease to the new host. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2785505/ 13
Tick Site Preferences on Humans Blacklegged tick http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/content/36/3/361 14
1. Deer (Blacklegged) tick, Ixodes scapularis Our smallest, least familiar tick. Fed Nymph Unfed Nymph Unfed Larva--Uninfected Adult Male Adult Female Partly Fed Female G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University Fully fed Female 15 Photo used with permission from Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in Iowa, Iowa State University Extension
Deer (Black-legged) tick size Save ticks in alcohol or hand sanitizer. G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University
Deer (Black-legged) tick Lives in wooded, humid areas NOT grassy edge habitat. Active year-round here. All stages (larvae, nymphs, adults) bite people & animals. Actively seeks hosts when temperatures 39 F. SMALL unfed adults are the size of a poppy seed. Deer ticks cannot survive more than 2-3 days in the average home it s not humid enough. 17
Deer (Black-legged) tick Carries 4 diseases here: Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis. A ticks can transmit multiple diseases in one feeding. Dogs and humans are most affected by these diseases. Dogs get Lyme disease 50% more often than humans. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8158624 18
Deer ticks frequent hosts Rodents, raccoons, deer, skunks, lizards, birds Most common host: Peromyscus maniculatus, white-footed deer mouse Also vectored by migratory neo-tropical birds. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/ixodes_scapularis/ 19
Blacklegged Ticks Submitted to ODH-ZDP in 2012 3 1 2 3 10 3 7 5 1 5 1 16 1 2 3 17 29 4 1 16 4 1 2 26 2012 1 1 2 1 Total:182 11 2 1 ODH Zoonoses Disease Program G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University Counties:31 20
Figure 2. Known distribution of the blacklegged tick in Kentucky (color code: blue= pre-2005, red= 2013, orange = 2014, green = 2015). 21
Another way to count tick populations: look at DOGS! 1 in 16 dogs tested in 2013 was positive for Lyme Disease. Dogs treated by veterinarians serve as good indicators of parasite presence. 22 http://www.capcvet.org/ The Companion Animal Parasite Council
One other Thing Black-legged (Deer) ticks are FAST!! A tick can travel from your shoe to your neck in less than ten minutes. Watch this video: 23
2. Lone Star Tick, Amblyomma americanum Found in shrubby, woody areas Also called Turkey Tick Active April August Vicious biter you can feel them attach All life stages feed on people and animals. Vector of Ehrlichiosis and STARI 24
Lone Star? Not just Texas Notice ornamentation Adult Female Adult Male Fed Adult Female Fed Nymph After 10 days of feeding Unfed Nymph Larva not shown G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University Photo used with permission from Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in Iowa, Iowa State University Extension 25
3. American Dog Tick, Dermacentor variabilis Found in grassy areas & along road edges Adults feed on medium to large mammals, especially dogs and humans Most active April July The most well-known tick in southern Ohio 26
American Dog Tick Notice ornamentation Adult Female American dog tick Adult Male American dog tick Female after 11 days of feeding Larvae and nymphs rarely feed on pets or humans Photo used with permission from Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in Iowa, Iowa State University Extension G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University 27
Many tick-borne diseases in the Midwest Four diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria: 1. Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi 2. Anaplasmosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, (formerly called human granulocytic ehrlichiosis) 3. Ehrlichiosis, several Ehrlichia spp. 4. Rocky Mt. Spotted Fever, Rickettsia rickettsii One disease caused by a genus of parasites: 5. Babesiosis, Babesia spp. One disease with pathogen unknown: 6. STARI, Southern Tick-associated Rash Illness http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/index.html 28
Back to the start: Lyme Disease Lyme disease was named for a town in CT. G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University 29
Lyme Disease is Underreported The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found Lyme disease strikes 300,000 people each year, an order of magnitude more than is reported to CDC. Ohio confirmed + probable cases in 2013 were 93, so there may be ~ 1,000 cases annually. 30
Correlation of Cumulative Tick and Lyme Cases to 2013 Tick Prevalence Lyme Prevalence ODH Zoonotic Disease Program G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University 31
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Why is Lyme Disease so Tricky? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lyme_disease_microbiology Multiplies very slowly, so initial tests come back negative. Multiple strains and species of Borrelia bacteria. Some strains leave the blood stream and invade other human tissues and cells to avoid triggering immune response (and make detection difficult). 33
If you have had an attached tick for longer than 24 hours, get treatment AS IF YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO LYME DISEASE Get to the doctor as soon as possible for immediate treatment. A prompt course of antibiotics might prevent a lifetime of misery. 34
Five Kinds of Disease Prevention & Management 1. Prevent & manage ticks on your body, clothes, & shoes. 2. Manage ticks on pets. 3. Modify home habitats. 4. Avoid tick habitats where possible. 5. Watch for ticks when hunting or dealing with wildlife. 35
Personal Disease Prevention Use insect repellants containing at least 25% DEET EVERY TIME you go outside in tick habitat. Tuck pants in socks/boots & shirt into pants. Tick-check daily. Dry clothing on HIGH for 15 min. when you come inside. Remove attached/crawling ticks properly. http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html 36
Personal Tick Management Tiny ticks crawl up, often UNDER your clothing, and not just on the outside. The ingredients in tick repellent must touch the ticks. When spraying pants and shorts, turn the lower portions (the bottom 8-10 inches) of the leg INSIDE- OUT and spray that first. Then treat the entire outside surface, too. Don t forget backpacks, shoes, hats, etc. Repellents are irritants that make the tick too uncomfortable to stay. 37
Don t Forget Shoes & Gear Don t forget backpacks, hats, bandanas, camp chairs, tents, sleeping bags, or other fabric items that could be exposed. Spray all your family s shoes with tick repellent! Ticks crawl up from the leaf litter, in wooded areas or in your yard. Spraying shoes with tick repellent is the first line of defense and also the most effective way repel ticks before they bite. 38
Personal Tick Checks 39
Clothing Tick Hints See a tick on yourself or the dog? Duct tape works well to remove them BEFORE THEY ATTACH. Duct tape also removes small larvae or nymphs you might miss. 40
Use Your Dryer! De-tick clothes by throwing everything into a hot dryer for 15 minutes, BEFORE washing. The ticks will desiccate and die. Washing clothes first might not kill ticks, but drying does. No dryer? Put clothes or backpacks into a black plastic bag and subject them to heat in the sun or place the bag in the back seat of your car for 48 hours.
II. Pet Tick Management Dog physiology is different so there are tests, vaccinations, collars, and effective medications for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases Courtesy K. Stafford III Check your dogs before they come inside Check pet bedding regularly Do daily tick checks and give monthly medications Have your pet checked for tick-borne diseases G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University 42
Dogs as Indicators of Parasite Populations http://www.capcvet.org/ Dogs G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University Ehrlichia canis (Lone stars) Ehrlichia chaffeensis (American dog ticks) 43
III. Managing Home Habitats Mow Mulch/Fence borders Remove bird feeders (they attract birds, rodents, deer and other hosts). Use perimeter sprays. Fence out deer. Don t try to attract wildlife. Courtesy K. Stafford III 44
Various acaricides are labeled for use. Permethrin, bifenthrin available for homeowners. Use high-pressure spray in May/June, again in October. Pesticide degrades in soil. 45
Other Habitat Interventions 1. Tick Tubes contain Permethrin-treated cotton that mice bring back to their nests for bedding. 46
Move here
Deer and other animals are favorite foods for ticks. Take care when handling wild animals or their carcasses. Many animals brought to butchers for processing are infested with ticks.
Watch this video! G.R. Needham, The Ohio State University
Removing Ticks The Right Way This is the way to remove ticks from humans and pets. Save the tick in the freezer if you want to confirm its ID. 50
Questions? Please take a tick ID card! 51