Avoid the creepy-crawlies this summer

It’s summertime. Long days, pleasant evenings and lots of hours to spend in the great outdoors.

However, when you’re opening up that lake cabin or enjoying a stroll through the woods, try to avoid bringing home an unwelcome souvenir. Epidemiologists at the Spokane Regional Health District report tick-borne illness already has sent four area residents to the hospital this year.

“It’s been a bumper year for ticks,” Dorothy MacEachern, epidemiologist at the Health District, said recently.

Ticks are arachnids like spiders and scorpions They also are extremely efficient carriers of disease.

Many residents worry about Lyme disease, but, according to MacEachern, “We’ve never had someone contract Lyme disease in the Spokane area. The ticks that carry the disease are found in more humid areas. You probably don’t have Lyme disease unless you’ve traveled elsewhere.”

Two illnesses that do appear in our region are relapsing fever and tick paralysis.

Symptoms of relapsing fever include abrupt onset of chills, headache, fever and fatigue. “Symptoms can last several days, then go away and later return,” MacEachern said.

Soft ticks found on rodents transmit the disease. Their bodies quickly engorge after feeding, giving them a raisinlike appearance.

It’s important when opening a cabin for the season to move beds away from walls where mice may have made nests during the winter. In addition, experts at the Health Department advise making sure that firewood is stored away from structures. It also is not a good idea to feed those cute squirrels and chipmunks that hover around your campsite.

Tick paralysis commonly is caused by hard ticks. Also known as “wood ticks” or “dog ticks,” these creatures live in tall grasses and leafy vegetation. Unfed, they resemble flat seeds.

Symptoms of tick paralysis include numbness followed by weakness in the legs; next, paralysis begins in the lower extremities and ascends.

“One kid I know developed a really wide gait,” said MacEachern, describing the effects of the illness. “It’s unusual for a 6-year-old to walk like Godzilla.”

Symptoms can appear several days after tick attachment. But upon removal of the tick, symptoms begin to subside immediately.

Tick-borne illnesses affect children more frequently than adults.

MacEachern advises parents of children with long hair to be especially vigilant. Ticks can’t fly or jump, she said, so they have to climb and work their way toward skin. “More hair means more room for the ticks to hide.”

Checking for ticks after staying in a cabin or spending time outdoors can prevent illness.

“Look in hairy areas like the scalp, underarms and groin,” said MacEachern. “Ticks are so tiny. They can feed for a half hour and then fall off without leaving a mark.”

If you find a tick, carefully remove it with tweezers, not a match head. Once the tick has been removed, cleanse the area, apply an antiseptic and watch for signs of infection.

Commercial repellents offer great protection, but so does being conscious of your environment.

As MacEachern said, “Enjoy the outdoors, but be aware.”