The most common are how to prevent bites and how to remove bites.

Have you started working in the garden yet? hiking? Does your dog spend more time outside? We recommend taking steps to protect yourself and your pet from ticks.

Ticks become active when temperatures rise above freezing. Ticks live in grassy, ​​grassy or wooded areas or on animals. Many people are bitten by ticks in their yards or neighborhoods. According to the CDC.

—> Quiz: How much do you know about ticks?

5 Most Common Ticks in Michigan

More than 20 species of ticks are known in Michigan. The ticks listed below are the five most common ticks people have reported seeing in Michigan.

Most of them survive by eating wild animals, but some species are known to sting humans and pets. Ticks can carry dangerous bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Tick-related illnesses such as Lyme disease occur in Michigan.

Their types are:

• American dog tick (wood tick)

• Black-footed tick (deer tick)

• lone star tick

• Woodchuck tick (groundhog tick)

• brown dog tick (kennel tick)

—> More information: 5 most common ticks in Michigan

How to prevent tick bites

The CDC recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), paramenthanediol (PMD), or 2-undecanone.of EPA has an online tool Find the best insect repellent for you.

While hiking, try to avoid wooded and brushy areas if possible and stay in the center of the trail. You can also tuck your pants into your socks and use pants with an elastic waistband. This will prevent ticks from entering.Dust mites are easier to spot if you wear light-colored clothing.

Check your clothes for ticks after spending time outdoors. Tumble drying your clothes in a hot dryer for 10 minutes will kill any dust mites that may be hiding in your dry clothes. If you need to wash your clothes first, the CDC recommends using boiling water because cold or medium-hot water won't kill dust mites.

Showering within two hours of going indoors can reduce your risk of contracting Lyme disease. The CDC says showering may help wash away unattached ticks.

Places to check for ticks:

• in and around the ear

• in and around hair

• armpit

• Inside the navel

• Around the waist

• between the legs

• back of knee

Where to check your pet for ticks:

• in and around the ear

• around the tail

• around the eyelids

• under the collar

• under the front legs

• between the hind legs

• between the toes

How to safely remove ticks

To remove ticks, you can use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal key (these are available at most pet and outdoor stores). You need to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible.

If the tick's mouthparts are still on the skin and cannot be easily removed, the bite should be left alone to heal. Wash the bite area and hands with soap and water and use a disinfectant on the bite site.

What to do if you find a tick

Michigan residents can receive free tick identification through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

You can email a photo of your tick [email protected]Alternatively, you can mail your ticks to MDHHS.Tick ​​submission kits can be picked up at home local health department.

tick life cycle

Most mites go through four life stages: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged larva, and adult.

According to the CDC, ticks must feed on blood at every stage to survive. A tick can take up to three years to complete its life cycle. Some tick species, such as the brown dog tick, prefer to remain on the same host throughout their life stages. Although spider mites prey on mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, they require new hosts at every stage of their life.

Below is a diagram showing the life cycle of the black-legged mite.

The image below shows a nymphal black-legged mite feeding over a 96-hour period.

Ticks can bite humans at any stage of their life, but the nymphs and adults are most common in humans. The larva is the smallest life stage of the mite that develops from the egg. For reference, black-legged mite larvae are about the size of a poppy seed. Nymph and larval mites can be difficult to identify because they are very small.

Diseases transmitted by ticks

lyme disease

lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected black-footed tick. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and skin rash. If left untreated, it can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system.

Your health care provider can diagnose Lyme disease based on your symptoms, physical findings, and possible exposure to infected ticks. Most cases can be treated with a few weeks of antibiotics.

anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It is spread to people primarily through tick bites by the black-legged tick.

People with anaplasmosis often have a fever, headache, chills, and muscle aches. Doxycycline is the drug of choice for adults and children of all ages with anaplasmosis. According to the CDC.

The number of reported anaplasmosis cases among Michigan residents jumped from 17 confirmed and probable cases in 2020 to 56 in 2021. Counties with the highest increases in anaplasmosis cases include Dickinson and Menominee counties in the Upper Peninsula and Manistee and Benzie counties in the Lower Peninsula.

Red meat allergy (alpha-gal syndrome)

alpha gal syndrome This is a serious allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. It can occur after eating red meat or being exposed to other products containing alpha girls. According to the CDC, there is some evidence that molecules that cause red meat allergies may be found in the saliva of certain types of ticks.

Symptoms include rash, hives, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, dizziness or fainting, and severe abdominal pain. Symptoms usually occur 3 to 6 hours after eating meat or products containing Alpha Girl.

The CDC said “increasing evidence” suggests AGS may be caused by the bite of the lone star tick or black-footed tick. They stressed that further research is needed to understand the role that ticks play in triggering the response.

ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by the bacteria Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. ewingii, or E. muris aulerurensis.

It is spread to people and animals through the bite of infected ticks, such as the black-footed tick or the black-footed tick.

According to the CDC, people with the following symptoms: ehrlichiosis It is often accompanied by fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and sometimes an upset stomach. Doxycycline is the treatment of choice for adults and children.

—> More information: Diseases transmitted by ticks, according to the CDC