Texas County Health Department and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services state provisional numbers indicate that reports of tularemia through May 20, 2008 are 33% above the five-year median. Further, a review of 2008 ehrlichiosis reports indicates that the number of cases is ahead of acute cases identified during the same period for 2003-2007.
At least six different human tick-borne diseases have been reported in Missouri: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Q-fever, Lyme or a lyme-like disease, and the southern tick-associated rash illness.
“The old saying ‘an ounce of prevention being worth more than a pound of cure’ certainly holds true when talking about tick-borne disease,” says Dr. Howard Pue, State Public Health Veterinarian. He says preventing tick-borne illness is much easier than curing it. “Individuals should follow some basic measures that help prevent tick bites and the illness they can cause.” Warm weather brings out ticks, and by following basic recommendations people can prevent tick bites.
Missouri ticks can carry a variety of microorganisms that can cause serious or even deadly disease. While not all ticks carry these microorganisms, and not all tick bites lead to illness, learning and following simple but effective prevention measures is the best way to avoid tick bites that could lead to illness:
- Reduce tick habitat around the home and avoid heavy brush and tall grass,
- Keep ticks off your skin,
- Perform tick checks,
- Promptly remove attached ticks,
- Prevent family pets from bringing ticks indoors.
“The longer a tick is attached to the skin the greater the risk of disease transmission,” states Carolyn Bell, RN, Communicable Disease Nurse at the health department. “To reduce the chances of spread of a disease remove a tick using tweezers or a commercial tick removal tool. Position the tips of the tweezers around the area where the tick’s mouthparts enter the skin, using a slow, steady motion pull the tick away from the skin.”
For more information on tick borne illnesses contact Bell at the health department at 417-967-4131.