It’s Not Just Mosquitoes, Ticks Carry Disease Too.

As if mosquitoes aren’t enough to worry about, ticks can pose a serious threat to your family’s health too. Tick-borne diseases have doubled in the last 13 years and accounted for more than 60 percent of all vector-borne diseases. Ticks have become a prevalent issue throughout the United States. Know the tell-tale signs of these illnesses transmitted by ticks to help keep your family protected.

Lyme Disease

A close up view of Backlegged Tick

While there are numerous tick-borne illnesses, Lyme disease is a common illness affecting people in many parts of the United States. Those in the northeastern U.S., mid-western U.S. and along the Pacific coast are the most at risk. Lyme disease is transmitted though the bite of an infected blacklegged tick.

 

Symptoms & Treatment
Common symptoms include:Lyme Disease Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Unique skin rash called erythema migrans.

If Lyme disease is left untreated, it can spread to joints, the heart and nervous system. However, if treated by antibiotics in the early stages, those with Lyme disease can recover.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

A close up view of a Rocky Mountatin Wood Tick

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a bacterial disease spread by the American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick and the brown dog tick. Cases are reported throughout the United States but are most common in North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

 

Symptoms & Treatment
Almost all patients develop a rash 2 to 4 days after fever begins.

Common symptoms of RMSF are:Areas most at risk for Rocky Mountain spotted fever

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Loss of appetite

Early symptoms are not specific to RMSF so if you become ill after been bitten by a tick, immediately seek medical attention. While RMSF can be treated with antibiotics, if left untreated it can rapidly progress to a life-threatening illness.

Prevention and Tick Control

The spread of these illnesses can be slowed and mitigated by what happens in your own yards. By learning how to control outdoor pests with the prevention techniques and services Mosquito Joe of Virginia Beach-Norfolk provides, you can reduce your family’s exposure to pests and the health risks they carry.

Prevent ticks from coming in to your yard by following these prevention techniques.

First, protect your family by following these tips to control ticks in your yard:

  • Ticks like to hide in trash and leaf litter. Remove these from your yard that so ticks won’t stand a chance.
  • Mow your lawn frequently and clear tall grasses and brush around your home.
  • Build fences around your property to inhibit animals such as deer, raccoons and stray dogs from entering your yard.
  • Keep wood piles away from your home.

Taking simple precautions like these will lessen the risk of dangerous pests that can spread disease. Visit our How to Combat Ticks page for tips on tick bite prevention, where to check for ticks and tick removal. Mosquito Joe of Virginia Beach-Norfolk can be an added layer of defense for your family and pets by working to eliminate mosquitoes, ticks and fleas from your property. Call us today for more information!

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Disclaimer: Mosquito Joe does not make any claims that using our products or services will prevent you or anyone you know from contracting a vector-borne illness. However, taking measures to reduce the mosquito and tick populations around your home is important to consider if you are in a highly affected region. Please leverage the resources above for more information and feel free to contact your local Mosquito Joe to learn more about how you can eliminate these pests around your yard.