Editor's note: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued the following release that cautions citizens about the dangers of tick-borne diseases.
If you spend time outdoors or have pets that go outdoors, you need to beware of ticks. Ticks are small bloodsucking bugs. Many species transmit diseases to animals and people. Some of the diseases you can get from a tick bite are Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.
Some ticks are so small that they can be difficult to see. Ticks may get on you if you walk through areas where they live, such as tall grass, leaf litter or shrubs.
Tick-borne diseases occur worldwide, including in your own backyard. To help protect yourself and your family, you should:
- Use a chemical repellent with DEET, permethrin or picaridin
- Wear light-colored protective clothing
- Tuck pant legs into socks
- Avoid tick-infested areas
- Check yourself, your children and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks you find
Additional resources
Tick-Borne Diseases(American Academy of Family Physicians) http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/bacterial/705.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish
Tickborne Diseases(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/tickborne/default.htm