Tick Awareness

Deer tick

NPS photo

Cumberland Island is home to many types of ticks, including Lone Star Ticks, Deer Ticks, and Dog Ticks. All of which can potentially carry a slew of nasty diseases such as Spotted Fever, Lyme, Alpha Gal Syndrome, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis.

You should do the following to avoid having a tick tag-a-long!

· Avoid walking off-trail or in areas with lots of brush.

· Walk in the center of the trail to avoid brushing up against foliage.

· Tuck your pants into your socks.

· Treat your clothes with .5% permethrin products.

· Use insect repellants containing DEET, picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or other EPA registered insect repellants.

After returning from your walk through the woods you should conduct an inspection of all your body, clothes, and gear. Showering within two hours of being exposed has also been shown to reduce the risk of tick-borne illness.

 

Removal of tick if attached to skin

What if you find a tick embedded?

If you find a pestiferous passenger embedded in your skin, do not fret! Follow these steps to ensure your good health.

· Use a tick removing device or fine-pointed tweezers to remove the tick with steady and even pressure.

· Do NOT twist or jerk the tick as this could cause parts of the tick to still be embedded.

· Do NOT crush tick with your fingers.

· Clean the bitten area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

· Dispose of the living tick by placing it in a sealed container filled with rubbing alcohol or simply flush down the toilet.

If you start to develop symptoms such as fever or rash, particularly the infamous “bullseye rash” characteristic of Lyme, inform your doctor about when and where you received the bite.