Here are 8 tips to prevent the exposure of ticks from the Health Ministry of La Salle County – Shaw Local

When compliance with the month of consciousness for the Lyme Borreliosis and the warmer weather in which the area is located, it is important to take precautions against tick bites and the diseases they can bear.

Diseases such as rocky mountain fever, Lyme Borreliosis, Tularemia and Ehrlichiosis can cause slight symptoms or severe infections.

In La Salle County, Lyme Borreliosis is the most frequently observed tick disease. In the district, 11 cases of Lyme Borreliosis were confirmed in the district in 2024. This number died out of 14 cases in 2023. From 2018 to 2022, eight were most cases in a single year with a low of two cases in 2021.

Lyme Borreliosis is caused by bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi and rarely Borrelia Mayonii. The Lyme Borreliosis is transferred to humans by the bite of infected black -gated ticks. The risk of exposure to ticks is the largest in the forest and in the edge area between lawn and forests. However, ticks can also be carried by animals on lawns and gardens and pets in houses. Camper, hikers, outdoor workers and others can be exposed to infected ticks on forest, brushes and grass types. People who spend time in heavily forested areas where infected ticks are common have a higher risk of exposure.

“In the past two years, the number of cases of Lyme Borreliosis has increased significantly in La Salle County,” said Jennifer Arroyo, director of environmental health at the Health Ministry of La Salle County. “The greatest risk of being bitten in the spring, summer and autumn. Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent if you spend time outdoors. Addly wear shoes with a closed piece of paper and light clothing, says pets.

Simple tips for avoiding tick exposure include:

• Wear light clothing to find ticks easier. Put long pants in socks and boots.
• Use an EPA-registered insect protection agent that contains 20% deet, picaridine, IR3535 or lemon eucalyptus oil according to the instructions of the labels.
• Use products that contain permethrin to treat clothing and equipment such as boots, pants, socks and sleeping tents. Or look for clothing that is pretreated with Permethrin.
• Go in the middle of the hiking trails. Avoid forested, bushy areas with high grass and leaf loyalty.
• Perform full-body tick tests for family members (forearms, ears, navel, behind the knees, between legs, waist, hair and scalp) every two to three hours. Also check all the equipment or pets taken with excursions.
• Place your clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes (or an hour for moist clothing) to kill ticks.
• Bathing or showing within two hours after the inside.
• If you find a tick for yourself, it is often helpful to keep the tick to the identification of species. Place the tick in alcohol or in a sealed bag/a sealed container to bring your health service provider or the local Ministry of Health to submit to IDPH. On the IDPH website you will find an submission form.

If you find a tick attached to your skin, you don’t need to panic. Remove the tick as soon as possible to reduce your chances of infection from the tick bite. The CDC recommends the following steps to remove a tick:

Use fine tips for tweezers to capture the tick as close as possible on the skin surface. With stable, even pull up pressure to remove the tick. Avoid twisting or jerking yourself. When the mouthpieces stay in the skin, leave them alone. In most cases, they fail in a few days. Do not use nail polish, oil jelly or a hot match to dismantle the tick. Clean the bite area and your hands with alcohol or soap and water.

If you make you sick with a fever and/or rash after you are in an area in which ticks can be, contact your health service provider. The most common symptoms of tick diseases include fever, chills, pain and rash (not in all cases). Early detection and treatment of the infection reduces the risk of serious complications.

For more information, see 815-433-3366 to the Health Ministry of La Salle County or visit the website at www.lasallecountyil.gov. Also visit the Illinois Department of Public Health Interactive Tick Surveillance, which was created by your vector control. The map shows which ticks were identified by County in Illinois.