Summertime means more time outside for many families, and you don't have to go very far to find danger.
Entomology specialist Daniel Frank has several tips that will help you and your family avoid attacks by ticks this summer.
Frank says three things that can help are mowing grass frequently, trimming trees and using insecticide when appropriate.
One good way to avoid tick-borne diseases is to inspect your body regularly for ticks, Frank says. If one is found, just remove it and kill it.
Frank says the longer an infected tick is attached to the body, the more likely it becomes that it could transmit a disease-causing pathogen. He says with Lyme disease, for instance, ticks would have to be attached at least 36 to 48 hours.
Lyme disease symptoms vary and can be similar to the flu. Symptoms include, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headache and fever.Circular rashes are also a product of the disease.
Symptoms can appear in less than a week after a tick bite, according to experts.
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A doctor should be contacted for medical advice and treatment immediately if someone believes they have been bitten by a tick.
