In this summer season, there is a lot that we all have going on. Whether you are headed to shore for a vacation or just to the park for a picnic lunch with friends, there is one little thing that you can’t forget about. Ticks; they are the tiny critters that latch onto humans and transmit dangerous bacterial diseases. Ticks can be big enough that you can easily spot them on your body, however many ticks are much smaller. Many are so small that they can fit in between the eyes of a small bird. Unfortunately, the small deer ticks are the ones that you really need to stay on the look out for. Deer ticks are known to carry a host of bacteria that can lead to just as many diseases in their human hosts. For a while now, most of us have known that ticks transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. But thank to researchers out on Block Island, RI we now know of another disease, Babesosis, which it caused by ticks. When a tick carrying the parasite Babesia latches onto a human, the parasite is transferred into the blood stream. Next, protozans begin to invade the bodies red blood cells and break them up. This can cause a host of symptoms including a fever, muscle ach, chills, anemia and a headache. Without a trademark rash that would easily identify a tick bite, many doctors miss the Babesosis. The first human case of Babesosis was documented in 1957, but it is only recently that this disease is being attributed to ticks. For along while now, most people have considered Lyme disease as one of the most dangerous diseases that could be contracted from a tick. The fear that some people have is that someone who unknowingly has Babesosis will donate blood, and the disease could be transmitted to another person with potentially dire consequences. If you have had a tick bite in the last thirty days and are experiencing any symptoms at all, visit your doctor for more comprehensive testing. Dr. Abroon can expertly diagnosis any condition that you might have, and recommend a course of treatment.
Avoiding and Removing Ticks
Stay out of tall grass, leafy areas and avoid any natural area where you could come in contact with a tick. Checking your body for ticks should become a daily task. Thoroughly check your body and feel for any small bumps on your skin. If you should find a tick, remain calm and follow the next steps to remove it. Before grabbing the tweezers, try to soap up a rag and use rub it in counter clockwise over the area where the tick is. This might help to loosen up the tick a bit. After you do that, clean the area with hydrogen peroxide. Finally, with a tweezers pull the tick in a straight line, so you get the whole tick in one piece.