risk of picking up a parasitic passenger is pretty low. But let’s be frank here—many of us are in the back country, and staying in the “center” of trails is unrealistic. Once you stray from the groomed, wide, heavily-trafficked trails, however, the risk of being bitten by a tick rises exponentially. Deer and other small mammals that carry ticks and are the reservoir hosts of the bacteria also use the trails, causing the highest concentration of ticks to be in the vegetation closest to trails.
So how do you protect yourself from these tiny health-destroying arachnids that could potentially put an end to your outdoor adventures for good? For starters, it’s a good idea to wear light-colored clothing, which makes ticks easier to spot. Even better, wear clothes that are treated with insect repellents like permethrin. Bug spray containing DEET can also help ward off ticks, as well as other pests. But simple, daily tick checks are the most effective method of guarding against tick-borne infections, so check frequently. Ticks love hair, necks, armpits, waistbands, the groin area, and the backs of knees, so pay close attention to these areas.
If you, or a member of your group, have been bitten by a tick, it’s very important to remove the tick properly. Position needle-nose tweezers between the skin and the tick’s mouth, and tug firmly but gently straight up, away from the skin. If you yank or try to twist it out, the tick’s mouthparts could remain embedded in the skin, causing complications. Also, avoid all of the crazy tick-removing antics that you will have heard people talk about, like using a lit match or smothering a tick with Vaseline. These are very dangerous approaches and can actually cause the tick to go into shock and regurgitate the contents of its mid-gut into you—along with all of the bacteria that you are trying to avoid. Follow the rules and pack fine-point tweezers in your first aid kit!
For more tips and information, including how to get your ticks tested for free, visit www.BayAreaLyme.org
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