There is this common thinking that ticks only attack animals. While it is true that you can find them in cats, dogs. squirrels, deer, and other mammals, ticks also attack humans. Like these pests, we also have exposure to them. The pest is especially active during the summer.
Ticks bite, and their bites not only are very irritating and itchy, but they can also transmit some of the most dangerous diseases. Ticks usually victimize residents of Charlotte after they go outdoors.
In this article, we will talk about these tiny creatures, creatures that we all probably have taken for granted. We will also discuss how you can make your homes safe from ticks with the help of the best of the Charlotte exterminators, Go-Forth Home Services.
So, let us dive in.
What Are Ticks?
Ticks are small joint legged creatures or arachnids. They are about 3 mm to 5 mm in length, with eight legs. They are constantly on the lookout for a blood meal wherever they can. From mammals to birds, to reptiles, they can regularly have their supply of food. They are present throughout the world, especially in tropical climates.
The life cycle of ticks has four stages: egg, larva, nymph, and ultimately the adult stage.
The larvae, nymphs, and adults all need blood meals. The male adult ticks die after mating, so it is ordinarily the female adult ticks that bite. Unlike most parasites, the tick does not fly or jump. They just crawl or use their legs to snag a host.
There are over 800 identified tick species worldwide. Of these, merely two species transmit diseases to humans: the hard ticks and soft ticks. But do not let your guard down thinking that there are just a couple of species; there are still millions of them you will have to watch out for in your area alone.
Ticks are pests that you should get rid of. The best pest control authority in Charlotte, Go-Forth Home Services, is just a phone call away.
Ticks Spread Diseases
Lyme Disease
Historically, Lyme disease cases shoot up every July. This illness can lead to symptoms that are similar to the flu. If not dealt with, this can induce a serious decline in a person’s motor and mental skills. Lyme disease involves many stages of infection, and the manifestations depend on the stage of infection. If this condition does not get treatments, it can lead to problems in the nervous system, heart, and joints.
For the initial month, after someone gets tick bites, the symptoms are headaches, fatigue, fever, muscle, and joint aches. Other symptoms are swollen lymph nodes and rashes. After the first month, manifestations of the Lyme disease are severe headaches and stiffness of the neck, facial palsy, nerve pain, arthritis with acute joint irritation and swelling, occasional discomfort in tendons and joints and in the bones, heart palpitations, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, and short-term memory problems.
In order to determine if a patient has Lyme disease, your healthcare provider may require a laboratory blood analysis. If utilized accordingly, this could help in detecting Lyme disease. Lyme disease can be treated by taking antibiotics. Doctors may recommend Amoxycillin, doxycycline, and cefuroxime axetil. This is a simple treatment that is recommended only for cases that are spotted right away. For cases identified in its late stages, doctors may suggest other types of medication and will depend on the person’s age, medical history, allergies, and so on.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a bacterial infection. It can be fatal if not detected and managed right away. Symptoms include fever, headache, rash, nausea, muscle pain, lack of appetite, stomach pain, and nausea. If not detected and treated, this could progress to a possibly fatal disease.
If you or a family member has these symptoms, go to your healthcare provider. Inform your healthcare provider that you think you have tick bites. Or that you went outdoors and into places where ticks may be inhabiting. This will help the healthcare provider know your situation and therefore make the appropriate treatments for. You may require blood testing to check for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Your doctor will perhaps advise treatment with antibiotics if the illness is still in its early stage.
Tularemia
This disease was named after Tulare County, California when it first discovered in 1911 in the said place. Tularemia's transmission happens to individuals through tick bites. Ticks get the infection when they suck on rodent's blood that also has infections. With this, ticks will pass the disease later on to humans by latching and biting its host. The bite would later allow the transmission of the bacteria. The bacteria that causes tularemia is the Francisella tularensis.
The signs and symptoms would depend on how the bacteria penetrated the body. In an ulceroglandular tularemia, high fever, skin ulcer, and swelling of regional lymph glands are present. Glandular tularemia has similar signs and symptoms as those with ulceroglandular tularemia.
The third type of tularemia, pneumonic tularemia, is the deadliest of all. Symptoms of pneumonic tularemia include difficulty in breathing, cough, and chest pains. This develops when an ulceroglandular tularemia does not get treatments. The bacteria would later advance to the lungs through the bloodstream.
Seek medical attention at once if you have these manifestations. For management, doctors may recommend antibiotics like streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin. Treatment may last 10 to 21 days. You might be given medications for fever and pain. Surgery may be performed to reduce swollen lymph nodes or remove infected tissues. Statistically, tularemia can be fatal about 2 % of the time.
Colorado Tick Fever
The Colorado Tick ever is a viral disease. Signs and symptoms include headaches, fever, chills, and lethargy. In some instances, there are abdominal pains, sore throat, stiff neck, or rash. After a bite, symptoms will show up from as soon as 1 day up to two weeks. Currently, there are no treatments other than supportive care. This may include treatments for pain, therapy, and IV injection.
Anaplasmosis
The transmission of this disease can happen either by tick bites or blood transfusion. Here in the United States, it is called a black-legged tick. Symptoms typically start 1 to 2 weeks after getting the bite. Early manifestations of this disease are fever, intense headache, muscle aches, chills, nausea, and loss of appetite. If not dealt with right away, it can proceed into a more serious illness. Late-stage symptoms are bleeding complications, respiratory failure, organ deterioration, and death. Treatment is through antibiotics.
Babesiosis
Many individuals with these diseases do not feel any symptoms. Some do, and these symptoms are fever, chills, sweating, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, and nausea. It can be fatal to some people. Immediately consult with a doctor once you get these symptoms. The good news is highly treatable.
How To Ward Off Ticks
In order for you to stay away from these diseases, preventing ticks from infesting your home should be given importance. Ticks live in wooded areas, grassy and brushy areas, or even on animals.
It is only natural to want to travel outdoors during the summer. Before doing so, treat your attire and gear with products containing 0.5% Permethrin. You do not have to do this each time you go out. Permethrin can last a long time, even after a few washings, so you will be protected for several days using the same clothing, camping gear.
Use the Environmental Protection Agency registered insect repellents. Search for the ones that contain the ingredients DEET, picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or para-menthane-diol for a stronger degree of protection. Always follow directions when applying these.
Before you go out, know where the ticks are. They can be found in grassy fields, forested and brushy areas.
When you reach home after an outdoor activity, instantly inspect your body and your clothing for ticks. You may not be aware of it, but you might already be carrying the ticks. Remove any ticks found on your attire and wash it immediately by tumble drying on a dryer at high temperature for ten minutes. This will kill the ticks.
Take a shower once you reach home. Check your whole body for ticks with a mirror. If you find ticks on your skin, remove using a tweezer. Check under your arms, belly button, in and around your ears, at the back of the knees, between the legs, and around your waist.
If you spot a tick, use tweezers to remove it. Grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Do not crush the tick with your fingertips. Put it in a plastic bag, trash bag, or even flush it down the toilet.
Go-Forth Home Services
Disease carrying pests should immediately be eliminated, notably, if your home is being infested by these unwanted pests. If your home is already infiltrated by ticks, call on the number 1 pest control authority in Charlotte, Go-Forth Home Services. Your safety is of paramount importance since Go-Forth only uses family-friendly and pet-friendly modes of killing pests.
For further inquiries or to set for an appointment, just call (877) 274-1475.