KENILWORTH, N.J., June 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As outdoor activity increases during the summertime, the risk of encountering ticks and contracting a tick-borne illness also rises. Yet ticks are difficult to spot and tick-transmitted diseases do not always manifest in obvious or immediate symptoms, making it difficult to prevent or identify potential illness.
Depending on the region, ticks can spread a number of diseases from Rocky Mountain spotted fever and southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) to the most notable and serious condition spread by ticks – Lyme disease. Despite an increase in reported cases of Lyme over the past decade, confusion around the disease persists, according to infectious disease specialist Dr. Larry Bush.
To provide clarity on the proper way to handle an encounter with a tick, Dr. Bush has answered five common questions on MerckManuals.com:
1. How should I remove the tick?To remove the tick, grasp it with tweezers as close to the head as possible and pull straight out to remove the entire creature, especially the head. Once the tick has been removed, apply a small amount of antiseptic to the area and watch for additional swelling, discoloration or rash, particularly a round, reddened area around the site of the bite.
2. Should I see a doctor?Visit a hospital or doctor's office right away if you're unable to remove the entire tick, or if you develop a rash or other symptoms in the days after you've found a tick.
If you remove it yourself, you can keep it in a plastic bag in the freezer. Should you decide to visit a doctor within the next 72 hours, he or she will look at the tick to determine what you may have been exposed to. Depending on your geographic location and other factors, your doctor may prescribe a single dose of a common antibiotic.
3. Will I get Lyme disease?It depends. Even in Lyme-heavy areas, not all ticks carry the causative bacteria. And typically, people contract Lyme disease only if an infected tick remains attached to them for at least a day and a half – that's why it's so important to remove the tick as quickly as possible.
Watch closely for symptoms including the signature "bull's eye" rash as well as fatigue, chills, fever, headaches, stiff neck, muscle aches, and painful and swollen joints.
4. What if there's no rash?Usually a large, raised red spot will develop at the site of the bite and will grow larger with time, forming a bull's eye and lasting for three to four weeks. However, not everyone infected with Lyme disease contracts the rash. About 25 percent of people never develop – or notice – the bull's eye rash. See your doctor if you develop other symptoms within a month of a tick bite.
5. How can I keep it from happening again?Your first line of defense against tick bites is to avoid areas where ticks are common, such as heavily wooded or grassy humid environments. If you're in these areas, stay on clear-cut trails, avoid walking through tall grasses, and wear long, light-colored clothing with pants tucked into socks. Keep long hair tied or wear a hat, and use an insect repellant that contains DEET.
After you leave an area with ticks, make sure you do a thorough tick check when you get home. Pay particular attention to warm, dark moist parts of the body – behind the ears, hair, underarms, behind the knees and groin.
About The Merck Manuals and MSD Manuals
First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, The Merck Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the world's most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. As The Manual evolved, it continually expanded the reach and depth of its offerings to reflect the mission of providing the best medical information to a wide cross-section of users, including medical professionals and students, veterinarians and veterinary students, and consumers. In 2015, The Merck Manual and MSD Manual kicked off Global Medical Knowledge 2020, a program to make the best current medical information accessible by up to three billion professionals and patients around the world by 2020. For access to thousands of medical topics with images, videos and a constantly expanding set of resources, visit MerckManuals.com or MSDManuals.com and connect with us on social media:
For Consumers in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook For Professionals in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook
About Merck
For 125 years, Merck has been a global health care leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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Depending on the region, ticks can spread a number of diseases from Rocky Mountain spotted fever and southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) to the most notable and serious condition spread by ticks – Lyme disease. Despite an increase in reported cases of Lyme over the past decade, confusion around the disease persists, according to infectious disease specialist Dr. Larry Bush.
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To provide clarity on the proper way to handle an encounter with a tick, Dr. Bush has answered five common questions on MerckManuals.com:
1. How should I remove the tick?To remove the tick, grasp it with tweezers as close to the head as possible and pull straight out to remove the entire creature, especially the head. Once the tick has been removed, apply a small amount of antiseptic to the area and watch for additional swelling, discoloration or rash, particularly a round, reddened area around the site of the bite.
2. Should I see a doctor?Visit a hospital or doctor's office right away if you're unable to remove the entire tick, or if you develop a rash or other symptoms in the days after you've found a tick.
If you remove it yourself, you can keep it in a plastic bag in the freezer. Should you decide to visit a doctor within the next 72 hours, he or she will look at the tick to determine what you may have been exposed to. Depending on your geographic location and other factors, your doctor may prescribe a single dose of a common antibiotic.
3. Will I get Lyme disease?It depends. Even in Lyme-heavy areas, not all ticks carry the causative bacteria. And typically, people contract Lyme disease only if an infected tick remains attached to them for at least a day and a half – that's why it's so important to remove the tick as quickly as possible.
Watch closely for symptoms including the signature "bull's eye" rash as well as fatigue, chills, fever, headaches, stiff neck, muscle aches, and painful and swollen joints.
4. What if there's no rash?Usually a large, raised red spot will develop at the site of the bite and will grow larger with time, forming a bull's eye and lasting for three to four weeks. However, not everyone infected with Lyme disease contracts the rash. About 25 percent of people never develop – or notice – the bull's eye rash. See your doctor if you develop other symptoms within a month of a tick bite.
5. How can I keep it from happening again?Your first line of defense against tick bites is to avoid areas where ticks are common, such as heavily wooded or grassy humid environments. If you're in these areas, stay on clear-cut trails, avoid walking through tall grasses, and wear long, light-colored clothing with pants tucked into socks. Keep long hair tied or wear a hat, and use an insect repellant that contains DEET.
After you leave an area with ticks, make sure you do a thorough tick check when you get home. Pay particular attention to warm, dark moist parts of the body – behind the ears, hair, underarms, behind the knees and groin.
About The Merck Manuals and MSD Manuals
First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, The Merck Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the world's most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. As The Manual evolved, it continually expanded the reach and depth of its offerings to reflect the mission of providing the best medical information to a wide cross-section of users, including medical professionals and students, veterinarians and veterinary students, and consumers. In 2015, The Merck Manual and MSD Manual kicked off Global Medical Knowledge 2020, a program to make the best current medical information accessible by up to three billion professionals and patients around the world by 2020. For access to thousands of medical topics with images, videos and a constantly expanding set of resources, visit MerckManuals.com or MSDManuals.com and connect with us on social media:
For Consumers in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook For Professionals in the U.S. and its territories: Twitter and Facebook
About Merck
For 125 years, Merck has been a global health care leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE MerckManuals.com
