Ticks: Better Check Yourself

Details

• Personal Author:
  Kelley M
• Description:
  Tick-borne pathogens can be passed to humans by the bite of infected ticks. Ticks can be infected with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Some of the most common tick-borne diseases in the United States include: Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and an emerging tick disease, (POW) Powassan encephalitis. Outdoor workers, like those who work in the agricultural, forestry or logging industries are at risk. Work areas with high grass, woods, and bushes are areas where ticks inhabit. Agricultural workers should take extra precautions to protect themselves in summer and in seasons when ticks are most active. You can reduce your risk of being infected with tick borne diseases by using tick repellents, wearing long sleeves and pants, tucking in pants into boots or socks, and tucking in shirts into pants, to prevent ticks from crawling inside your clothing. You can also avoid going into bushy and/or wooded areas and perform thorough tick checks after spending time working (or playing) outdoors. If you do find a tick attached to the skin, fine tipped tweezers can be used to remove the tick efficiently. Grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. Pull upward with even pressure. Make sure the mouth of the tick is removed. If you cannot remove the head with the tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Seal the tick it in a plastic bag or bottle and label it with the date and location of the bite. Place the tick in the freezer in case the person bit develops symptoms and the tick needs to be tested for disease(s). Many tick borne diseases can have similar symptoms. If you were bitten and develop symptoms, see a health care provider to be evaluated. Symptoms could include fever/chills, aches and pains, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. With Lyme disease there may also be joint pain and a circular rash that may appear within 3-30 days. With POW, symptoms could also include vomiting, weakness and confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties and seizures. Early recognition and treatment of the infections decreases the risk of complications. See your doctor immediately if you have been bitten by a tick and experience any of the symptoms described here. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Communicable Diseases Health Promotion Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Public Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Agricultural Workers Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection Health Promotion Infection Prevention Infectious Diseases Injury Prevention Insect Repellents Lyme Disease Pest Control Protective Clothing Public Health Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Safety Practices Tickborne Diseases

  More +
• Publisher:
  The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Newsletter
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053273
• Citation:
  Monthly Safety Blast. Tyler, TX: The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education, 2017 Jun; :website
• Email:
  agcenter@uthct.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Monthly Safety Blast
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f2fb7073f5bf273705557a6e6bee568754781c9cee22773a0fe157a1f9b101c23ee1479fe244d8a3086512c6b543ffcd17ac88e0313ed4dbfda07cf0ca8ad240
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216065/cdc_216065_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 155.46 KB ]