Tick Borne Diseases in Illinois

Summer is coming and it’s a great time to get outside for some exercise. Camping, hiking, fishing, bicycling in the woods are great for your health but beware ticks. In Illinois, there are several diseases that can result from a tick bite including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and ehrlichiosis.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can result from a tick bite. In slightly more than half of cases the distinctive bulls-eye rash may appear at the bite location. Additional symptoms may include fatigue, chills, fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, joint and muscle pain. Additional complications that can develop years later (if not diagnoses and treated) include heart problems, blindness, temporary paralysis of facial muscles and arthritis.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever symptoms include a long lasting fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle pain and rash. Tularemia symptoms include an ulcer at the location of the tick bite and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms for ehrlichiosis are non-specific and so mild medical care may not be sought although the disease can be fatal. Detection is usually done by a blood test. Headache, fever, muscle aches as well as nausea and coming are possible symptoms.

The best way to prevent these diseases is to prevent tick bites.

• Wear long clothing when outside in long grass or in the woods.

• Use insect repellent.

• Check for ticks every couple hours. Check your clothes, your hair, the back of your neck and your ears.

• If you find a tick, remove it promptly. DO NOT use a hot match, Vaseline, or nail polish. The best method is to use a pair of tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull it straight out using a firm and smooth motion. If you do not have a pair of tweezers handy, use your nails and WASH YOUR HANDS PROPERLY as tick secretions may also carry disease.

• Dispose of the tick properly by putting in soapy water or alcohol, sticking them to tape or flushing them down the toilet.

If you would like the tick identified, put it in alcohol and take it to your local health department for identification. Parts of a tick mouth may remain in the skin and become infected if not removed properly. If you have an unexplained illness, contact you doctor and let him know you have been outdoors and exposed to ticks.

And don’t forget your furry friends! Dogs and cats are susceptible to tick borne diseases, too. Use a vet recommended repellent or tick collar to prevent your friends from bringing ticks into your home.

Sam Meyer