Tick Bites – North Central District Health Department

When infected blood-sucking arthropods, such as ticks, bite a person, they can spread tickborne illnesses such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Tickborne illnesses occur all over the United States. The best defense against them is to take steps to avoid being bitten by ticks.

Protect yourself from tick bites

Avoid tick-infested areas.
Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be spotted more easily.
Tuck pants legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
Tape the area where pants and socks meet so ticks can't crawl under clothing.
Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and exposed skin (spray on hands and rub on face) treat clothes (especially pants, socks and shoes) with permethrin which kills ticks on contact.
Wear a hat and long-sleeved shirt for added protection.
Walk in the center of trails to avoid long grass and overhanging brush.
After being outdoors inspect body carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pulling straight back with a slow steady force. Avoid crushing the tick’s body.

CDC Tick Bite Bot

What to do if you're bit by a tick.

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