THE PERILS OF PICKING UP A TICK
Time in the bush can involve ticks
WE HAVE A saying in the outdoor activity world which is the industry I work in, as I’m a bushcraft/survival instructor: “It’s not the big things in the bush that you have to worry about, but the small ones.” This is certainly true when it comes to ticks. Anyone who uses the bush for recreational purposes should guard against these blood-sucking creatures because a large number of them are capable of spreading several diseases to humans, some of which can be very debilitating.
A tick is an arachnid. It has eight legs and a rounded, pliable body. Most are brownish in colour, although some can be quite colourful. They range in size from a pinhead to 10mm, which makes some very difficult to spot on the body.
The brown ear tick (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus) is the species we will probably most often encounter in the bush. It is responsible for spreading tick typhus in humans which is characterised by headache, fever, chills and a rash. The disease which you are more at risk of catching, though, is Lyme disease which is becoming more prevalent in South Africa.
Lyme disease can express itself in a number of ways. A progressive rash may develop from the bite site over a period of several weeks to a month. The area surrounding the rash turns pale in colour. The rash may, or may not, itch. Other symptoms include headache, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes, although these may not always be evident. If left untreated, the disease can progress and affect the nerves, heart and brain. If you have recently been in the bush and develop a rash (with or without the accompanying symptoms), seek medical attention, as a course of antibiotics will be prescribed.
The most obvious way to prevent tick bites is to limit your exposure to ticks. But of course this is easier said than done, depending on the nature of the activity you are undertaking. When tracking, avoid spending too much time in long grass, as this is prime tick habitat. If you can, walk in the centre of a game trail and, where possible, stay in the sun as ticks prefer shady, humid environments and are not sun lovers.
DURING TICK SEASON i n the warmer months of the year from November to April, you should wear long pants and tuck the bottom of the pants into your socks or boots. I know a few people who put elastic bands around the bottom of their trouser legs to prevent the ticks from climbing up the inside of their clothing.
It is often suggested that you should wear light-coloured clothing when in the bush because apparently dark clothing attracts ticks. To be honest, I have found just as many ticks on a pair of light-coloured trousers as I have on dark ones, although they are easier to spot on the dark fabric.
Irrespective of your clothing colour choice, impregnate everything with an insect repellent, such as DEET (N,n-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or Permethrin. I prefer Permethrin as it works both as a repellent and as a toxicant so once ticks come into contact with it, it causes a neuro-response which kills the ticks. DEET does not kill ticks but functions simply as a repellent. Permethrin is also effective against mosquitoes. Some people also apply Permethrin directly to the skin, but that’s not a very good idea as it’s an insecticide and the skin’s oils will degrade it in a short period of time anyway.
Impregnated clothing is one of the best means of preventing tick bites and several outdoor clothing brands sell pants and shirts which have already been impregnated with an insecticide of some sort. After a number of washing cycles, the garment should be retreated with an insecticide, as its effectiveness will gradually diminish. Some research has shown that Permethrin-impregnated clothing will repel a tick within a few minutes of it climbing on the item. If you go on an
extended hunting trip and camp overnight, you should also treat the tent and sleeping bag. Although many hunters do not like wearing them, rubber boots are one of the most effective preventative measures, as ticks cannot climb up them.
When you get home after spending time in the bush, thoroughly check your body for signs of these pesky blighters. Pay particular attention to behind your knees and under your armpits which are warm and moist, and favourite sites for ticks to hide. In addition check behind your ears, as ticks will also crawl up the outside of your clothing to find a vulnerable spot to latch onto.
Wash clothing that you have worn in the bush in hot water, not cold or warm water as ticks can survive this low temperature wash. Alternatively, run the clothing in a tumble dryer on the hottest setting for 10 minutes as this will kill any ticks present. Once washed retreat the clothing with an insect repellent.
SO, YOU’VE PICKED up a tick, how do you remove it? The time-honoured recommendations of burning it with a match; dabbing it with a lit cigarette; smothering it in alcohol or petrol; or painting it with nail varnish, etc are things you should NOT be doing. The reason for this is because you could stimulate the tick to prematurely regurgitate fluids into your blood system and these fluids could harbour potential disease organisms. Also, if you simply try to yank out the tick, you might leave the barbed mouthparts imbedded in your flesh where it has the potential to cause an infection.
The best way of removing these freeloaders, is either with a tick key, which can be purchased at an outdoors/hunting shop or online, or use a fine pair of tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible where, if you are lucky, you’ll grab the barbed mouthpart. Using gentle pressure, gradually pull the tick upwards until it naturally releases its grip. A fingernail, or credit card, placed beneath the head region and close to the skin, and then gently drawn backwards, will do the same job.
With the offending blighter removed and squished, clean the bite area with warm soapy water, or an alcohol wipe. Pat the bite dry rather than rub it, as this will avoid developing an irritating itch, then apply antihistamine cream. Observe the region for signs of swelling, rash or infection. If you develop a fever, headache, tiredness, painful joints or a lingering rash, see your doctor immediately, as you could be suffering from a tick-borne disease. Inform him/her that you had been bitten by a tick.
Although ticks are a very real problem in some areas, taking sensible precautions can go a long way to reducing the chances of picking up a transferable disease. And one of the best ways of doing that, is to impregnate your clothing with a specific tick repellent.