3 Ticks in Virginia and the Diseases They Cause

Ticks are carriers of a number of diseases throughout the United States. However, ticks have different habitats and each carry different diseases. When you find a tick on you, it can be helpful to identify the type of tick, so that you can be aware of any symptoms you may develop. This can help you seek medical treatment much sooner. In Virginia, there are three types of ticks that carry diseases.

1. Blacklegged Tick

The blacklegged tick looks different at the different stages. As adults, the females have a reddish body with a black head and legs. The adult male is almost entirely brown with a lighter ring around the edge of its shell. The nymph is a light brown color. The nymph is actually the stage where it spreads the most disease. Blacklegged Ticks will spread anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Lyme disease.

2. Lone Star Tick

The lone star tick is a unique tick. The nymphs are a light brown color and more difficult to identify. The males have a patterned back, while the females have a single white dot in its back. The nymph and adult female will spread disease. The lone star tick carries ehrlichiosis and tularemia. Additionally, there have been cases where people develop an allergy to meat after a tick bite.

3. American Dog Tick

The American dog tick is also a common tick in Virginia. The nymph is brown. The adult male has a patterned back, while the female is mostly brown with a pattern right underneath the shell. The adult female is the one most likely to transmit diseases. The American dog tick will transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.

Symptoms to Watch

Many tick related illnesses have similar symptoms when they start. Most will start with a fever and a headache. There may be nausea and vomiting. Often a rash will develop which will help the doctor determine the they of disease. Lyme disease has a distinctive bull eye’s rash. Rocky Mountain spotted fever has a spotted rash that starts on the wrists and ankles. Ehrlichiosis will also have a rash. If you catch babesiosis you may jaundice. If you notice any of these symptoms after a tick bite, you should seek medical care.

Find out the 5 Ways Fleas Can Make People Sick and what you can do to prevent it from happening to you and your family.

Comments

Can Tick Bites Really Cause an Allergy to Meat?

In the past few years there have been increasing reports of people developing allergies to meat after being bitten by a tick. This is formerly called an Alpha Gel allergy. Researchers in Virginia were among the first to discover it through clinical trials for a medication. Some patients were having a reaction to one component in the medication and would have similar allergic reactions to red meat or meat from mammals. Some people even have reactions to dairy products. What Tick Causes the Allergic Reaction? The Lone Star tick is the only tick that is currently known to spread the allergy to meat. The ticks are common in areas with high deer populations, since the Lone Star tick prefers to feed on the deer. You can identify a tick by looking at its back for a white dot in the center. If you find a tick attached to you, you will need to remove it right away, and then watch for symptoms. How Can I Tell if I Have an Allergy to Meat? The symptoms for the meat allergy will build over time....

Florence brings Flooding and Mosquitoes to PWC

As the remnants of Hurricane Florence have pushed farther north and west of the eastern seaboard, heavy rains have inundated areas of northern Virginia and caused flooding as far north as DC . Not only did the areas around the floodplains get a major increase in flooding, but the ground in general became heavily saturated with rainwater, thus providing a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes to lay eggs and increase their number. Mosquito Breeding in Wet Yard Areas Mosquitoes will typically lay their eggs in areas where rainwater collects naturally, such as in ponds and along the banks of rivers and streams, but with all the rain that Florence brought to Prince William County quite a few homeowners have noticed that mosquito populations have increased dramatically since the storm. This is because the mosquitoes can now easily lay their eggs in just about any location where there is still water pooling from the rains, and until the ground is fully dry this will continue unless action ...

10 Facts About Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can be a pesky insect. Known for ruining outdoor barbecues and parties as well as for spreading serious diseases there may not be a lot to love about mosquitoes. Here are ten facts about the pesky little insect. 1. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes around the world. However, there are only about 175 species in the United States and West Virginia has the fewest species of mosquitoes. 2. Mosquitoes like warm weather and will develop more quickly in the perfect temperature of around 80 degrees. Some mosquitoes hibernate. When it reaches about 50 degrees they begin to look for places to burrow into. Others will lay their eggs in freezing water so they can hatch when it warms up. 3. Male mosquitoes do not suck blood. They feed on flower nectar instead. They also have a much shorter life span of about ten days. 4. Female mosquitoes need to feed on blood in order to lay their eggs. They also have a longer lifespan and can live up to 54 days. 5. Mosquitoes transmit disease t...

Mosquito Tek

Search This Blog