New Englanders never seem to miss an opportunity to go out and enjoy nice weather when it rolls around. People enjoy hiking, picnics, golf, and sports events in spring and summer, and while these activities connect us with nature and each other, they also put us in closer proximity with dangerous pests such as ticks.
Ticks are parasitic arachnids, closely related to mites, spiders, and scorpions. They are not insects. There are many species of ticks. In the U.S., there are about 80 species, but only 12 species are considered to be import in terms of human and pet health. Most of these belong to the family Ixodidae, the hard ticks, while a few belong to the family Argasidae, the soft ticks. Three species of ticks are particularly important pests in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S., and are worth being able be able to identify: The American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes scapularis), and the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum).
There are several diseases of human and veterinary importance vectored by ticks. Lyme disease, anaplasmosis (ehrlichiosis), and babesiosis are the three most frequently observed tick-vectored diseases impacting Connecticut and the Northeast in general. The blacklegged tick, also known as the “deer tick” due to its favorite host being the white-tailed deer, is able to transmit the pathogens that cause each of these diseases. The American dog tick does not transmit the pathogens that cause the diseases above, but can transmit the pathogen that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Both the blacklegged tick and American dog tick are fairly common in Connecticut. Though you won’t encounter the lone star tick often in Connecticut (it’s much more common in the western U.S.), it is a capable vector of the pathogen Ehrlichia chaffeensis, which causes human monocyctic ehrlichiosis (HME), so it’s worth mentioning.
Many of the diseases caused by pathogens vectored by ticks can be debilitating with occasionally painful, severe symptoms when so prompt diagnosis and treatment is critical. If you are bitten by a tick, it is important to identify it if possible. If you are unable to identify the tick yourself, capturing and bringing it to a specialist such as the folks at the Connecticut Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (https://cvmdl.uconn.edu/) can often result in an accurate identification. If you suspect you may have contracted a tick-borne illness, it is important to seek medical attention.
After spending time outside, it is important to inspect yourself, your family and pets for presence of ticks. If you find any ticks, removing them quickly is the most effective approach to preventing disease transmission! The probability of Lyme disease transmission increases the longer the tick is attached, with roughly 0% transmission at 12 hours of attachment, 12% at 48 hours, 79% at 72 hours, and 94% at 96 hours of attachment. To remove a tick, use tweezers/forceps to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight up. Disinfect the bite location and monitor for rash development or other symptoms associated with infection.
Of course, the best approach to avoiding disease transmission is avoiding tick bites altogether! When visiting grassy or woodland areas, wear light-colored clothing that allows ticks to be spotted easily. Wearing long socks and tucking your pants into the socks can restrict ticks to the outside of clothing and make them easier to spot. Furthermore, wearing an insect and tick repellant such as a product containing DEET or permethrin can further protect you from bites and infection.
See our 2022 post on Ticks by Marie Woodward for additional tips and information!
Nick Goltz, DPM
Uconnladybug's Blog 