Understanding Ticks, Prevalence and Prevention Tim McGonegal, M.S. Branch Chief Mosquito & Forest Pest Management Public Works
Outline Brief overview of MFPM program Tick Biology Types of ticks and disease Tick prevention Landscape management
Mosquito And Forest Pest Management Branch (MFPM) Our mission is to survey, reduce and control populations when possible, of mosquitoes and forest pests. This occurs through the use of an integrated pest management approach (IPM). IPM, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.
Our Program Mosquito Surveillance and Control Dedicated to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Multiple strategies to reduce pest populations Forest Pest Surveillance Conduct surveillance for: Gypsy Moth Fall Cankerworm (FCW) Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Asian Longhorned beetle (ALB) Thousand Cankers Disease
IPM at MFPM IPM in mosquito and forest pest control consists of: - Public Education - Source Reduction/Mechanical Control - Trapping and Surveillance - Biological/Chemical control Larval and Adult
Ticks
Ticks Arachnids Blood feeders Must have protein for eggs Two major families of ticks Argasidae soft bodied ticks No scutum Very short blood meals Transmit relapsing fever Ixodidae - Hard bodied ticks Scutum Feed for days Transmit pathogens responsible for most North American diseases
Life Cycle Four stages: egg, larva, nymph, adult Larvae have six legs Nymphs and adults have eight legs Molt between stages Ticks can have 1,2, or 3 hosts Life cycle can take several years The more hosts, the more possibility of disease transmission Ticks require one blood meal per molt
Life Cycle
Ticks quest to find a host They do not drop from trees Finding Host Sit on ground vegetation and wave their front legs As an animal brushes by, grab on and hitch a ride
Mouthparts Hypostome Barbed central tube Anchors tick Barbs pointed downward- makes the tick difficult to remove
Ticks need one blood meal per molt Feeding Ticks attach and feed gradually over a period of several to many days. A variety of compounds in the tick s saliva that aid the feeding process and increase pathogen transmission are
Males & Females Both feed on blood Look similar as larvae and nymphs Adults very different Male Does not feed as long as the female Scutum covers entire dorsal side Female Engorges with blood to many times the size of unfed After last blood meal, mates, lays thousands of eggs & dies Scutum is smaller to allow her to engorge
Three common species in VA: Blacklegged Tick Lonestar Tick American Dog Tick Tick Species
Lonestar Tick Amblyomma americanum One of three common ticks that bite humans in VA Most common species in Northern VA Female has large white spot on scutum Can transmit/induce: Erlichiosis Tularemia Heartland & Bourbon virus Meat Allergy
American Dog Tick Dermacentor variabilis Also quite common in VA Large ticks, like to feed near the hairline Females and males have distinctly patterned scutums Nymphs rarely bite people Can transmit/induce: Rocky Mountain spotted fever Tularemia Tick paralysis
Blacklegged Tick Ixodes scapularis Also known as the Deer tick Two year life cycle Especially fond of white-footed mice and white-tailed deer Females are black and red Males and nymphs black Main vector for Lyme disease Also transmits the bacteria causing: Babesiosis Erlichiosis Human granulocytic anaplasmosis
Lyme Disease Small rodents serve as food for larval ticks and as the reservoir hosts for Lyme disease. New evidence that birds may also act as reservoirs. Only nymphal and adult deer ticks feed on humans or transmit Lyme disease to humans. 80-90 % of people develop Erythema Migrans (EM). Other symptoms may include, a feeling of tiredness, headache, fever, stiff neck, muscle aches, joint pain and swollen lymph nodes. If untreated, chronic arthritis or heart and nervous system complications may result.
Testing for Lyme CDC recommends a 2 step process for testing blood for antibodies The first step uses a testing procedure called enzyme immunoassay (EIA). If this first step is negative, no further testing of the specimen is recommended. If the first step is positive or indeterminate, the second step should be performed. The second step uses a test called an immunoblot test. Results are considered positive only if the EIA and the immunoblot are both positive.
Seasonal Tick Activity Blacklegged Tick Peak Activity: Larvae July-August Nymph May-July Adult Oct/Nov Mar/Apr American Dog Tick Peak Activity: Larvae March-July Nymph June-Sept Adult May-July Lone Star Tick Peak Activity: Larvae July-August Nymph May-July Adult April-June
If Bitten by a Tick Tick removal Grasp the base of the tick s mouthparts with tweezers Pull gently and firmly until it releases DO NOT Twist, squeeze or stress the tick Burn it, apply Vaseline The tick will regurgitate Post tick bite Clean & bandage the wound Apply antihistamines if necessary
If Bitten by a Tick Disease prevention How long was the tick feeding? Requires significant time (24-48) for tick to transmit Borrelia bacteria Save the tick & take to doctor Monitor for signs of illness Contact your doctor if you experience symptoms
Prevention
Tick and Disease Prevention Avoid tick-infested areas when possible. Stay in the center of trails, avoiding contact with overhanging grass and brush, while walking in the woods. Wear light colored clothing, long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks.
Tick and Disease Prevention Use Skin repellant Always read and follow label directions, when using repellents. EPA approved Repellants for use on SKIN The most effective repellents for ticks contain: DEET Picaridin IR3535 - naturally occurring amino acid ß-alanine. Tests show that it works fairly well on blacklegged tick.
Natural Repellents EPA determined that products made from certain all-natural ingredients do not require registration. Note that products made from these ingredients have not been evaluated by EPA for effectiveness Read the label Oil of lemon eucalyptus do not use on children under 3 Para-menthane-diol - biochemical pesticide derived from eucalyptus plants
Tick and Disease Prevention Use Clothing repellant Always read and follow label directions, when using repellents. Repellants for use on CLOTHING only Products containing the insecticide permethrin are registered for protection against ticks. Such products should never be applied to skin! After spraying on your clothing, allow it to dry an hour or more before you put it on. Permethrin adheres very well to cotton, and is long lasting
Tick and disease prevention Permethrin Pre-Treated Clothing Can purchase new pre-treated clothing Can send in your own clothing to be treated EPA Studies show All exposure scenarios showed that permethrin factorytreated clothing is unlikely to pose any significant acute or chronic hazard to people wearing the clothing. Protection lasts up to 70 washes
Tick and Disease Prevention TICK CHECK - always check thoroughly for ticks!!! Blacklegged tick nymphs- small and hard to find Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later Immediately shower using a washcloth to knock off any unattached ticks
Tick Prevention When coming in from outside activities where ticks may exist, put clothes in the dryer set on high heat for at least an hour. Ticks cannot survive the dry heat. They can survive exposure to hot water, so skip the washing machine and expose the clothing to the high heat of the dryer first.
Landscape Management Keep your lawn cut short to make the environment less attractive to ticks and mice. They prefer moist grassy areas under trees and in and around shrubs, Clear tall grasses and brush around homes and at the edge of lawns.
Landscape Management Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas and around patios and play equipment. This will create a "drying barrier" and restrict tick migration into recreational areas.
Landscape Management Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and wooded areas
Landscape Management Reduce the number of plants that attract deer, and plant those that they do not eat
Landscape Management Female ticks prefer to lay their eggs in leaf litter, so rake early, and be careful when raking leaves. Stack wood neatly and in a dry area (discourages rodents that ticks feed on).
Landscape Management Professional pest control experts can apply effective pesticides, especially during the peak nymphal season for Ixodes ticks (spring and summer) Two applications usually work best mid-may and again in mid-june It may be helpful to add one fall application -- timed after the emergence of adult-stage ticks - typically in mid-october
Thank you Questions?