Outdoor enthusiasts advised to be cautious of ticks

It’s tick season in the Interior and the local health authority is advising people know how to avoid and deal with the parasites.

Ticks are small insects that bite and feed on humans and animals and can sometimes transmit disease.

“There are easy things you can do to protect yourself from ticks such as covering up before you head outdoors and checking for ticks when returning from a walk, hike or bike ride,” said Interior Health medical health officer Dr. Fatemeh Sabet.

“Most tick bites do not result in illness. However, any bite from a tick should be cleaned because infection can occur whenever there is a break in the skin.”

Ticks generally live in wooded areas or places with tall grass, and people are advised to stay on the trails; wear a hat, long sleeves, pants and light-coloured clothing; tuck pant legs into socks or boots; use insect repellent that contains DEET; carefully check clothing, scalp and exposed skin after being outdoors; and regularly check household pets for ticks.

Interior Health advises anyone who finds a tick on themselves, a family member or a pet to use needle-nose tweezers to grasp the parasite close to the skin, then pull the tick straight out without squeezing it as crushing the bug may result in its stomach contents being injected into the host.

Once removed, the bite area should be cleaned with soap and water. Interior Health advises people to then check for more of the insects.

The wood tick is the most common species found in the Interior, and the health authority notes this species is unlikely to carry Lyme disease, though in rare cases it can be a spreader of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

The free eTick photo-based platform can be used to identify a species of tick, and the app will then provide the user with information about whether the bite could lead to a tick-borne illness and if any further steps should be taken.