Big Trouble In Small Packages
Ticks Potential Carriers of Disease
Last updated Wednesday, July 16, 2008 4:36 PM CDT in Outdoors
By Kenn Young
Special to The Morning News
Commentary - If you spend much time outdoors you're probably aware that human season is open.
I was made aware of that last week when I was doing some food plot work and found six ticks upon my return home.
Several warm winters in a row, combined with the moderate temperatures we're having this summer, have created a banner year for the little pests.
There are more than 850 known tick species in the world today and those are known to carry more than 30 different diseases. There are two common types of ticks here in Arkansas, that being the "dog tick" and the "deer tick."
Dog ticks may carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Deer ticks may carry Lyme disease.
There is a lady in our church who is now going on her third week of being bed-ridden because of tick fever. Numerous other of our friends have mentioned that they've had bouts with the flu. Could some of those have been tick fever?
The primary problem with diagnosing the disease is that its symptoms closely resemble those caused by the common flu. People who have been bitten generally start running a temperature and feeling nauseous. They may also have pain in their joints, stomach pain and diarrhea.
Lyme Disease
A few years back you couldn't pick up an outdoor magazine without reading about the perils of tick-borne Lyme disease. According to information provided by the Lyme Disease Foundation, more than 21,000 cases are reported nationwide each year and an alarming number of those prove to be serious, even to the point of being fatal!
Deer ticks are the primary carriers of the disease here in Arkansas. These little pests are black and red in color and are very small, about one-quarter the size of the average "dog tick" which makes them harder to see.
They typically live in grassy, wooded areas, which describes about anywhere in Arkansas.
How do you know if you've been bitten by a tick infected with the Lyme bacteria? One of the first and most common symptoms is a circular red rash that radiates out from the actual bite.
Later on you will have headaches, chills, nausea and fever, while sweating, aching joints and fatigue will all take a turn sooner or later.
Is Lyme disease serious? While people occasionally do die from the disease, the real danger lies in the down-line effects the bacteria can cause.
In extreme cases Lyme may cause damage to the brain, eyes, heart, liver and spleen. It is especially dangerous to pregnant women, where it may cause miscarriage, premature birth and even neonatal death.
The biggest problem with tick fever is that people ignore it, thinking they just have a "bug" that will quickly pass. If you think you may have contracted the disease, see your doctor immediately.
The longer you wait gives the disease more time to progress.
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Michael Green wrote on Jul 17, 2008 7:40 AM: