What they look like, the types, the diseases they spread

Ticks usually range in size from ¼ inch. They attach to your skin and gorge themselves on your blood. The state has published a 16-page guide on ticks and the prevention of tick-borne diseases.

While ticks tend to be more abundant in counties along the Lake Michigan coast, they live and have been spotted this spring in the Detroit metro and in many other parts of the state. Social media users share horrific stories about picking ticks – and their pets.

Lyme disease is one of the diseases that spreads to ticks. Over the last two decades, the number of human cases of Lyme disease in the state has increased steadily from 30 to more than 300 per year.

Some experts believe that this estimate may be underestimated. Many cases are not reported because the symptoms of Lyme disease often resemble those of the flu.

Allen Taylor, a resident of Onekama who plays various roles in the community, ranging from the administrator of the Portage Lake Association Region Facebook page to the Township Parks and Recreation Commission, is attributing more ticks to climate change.

And, according to the CDC, there is evidence to support:

"The development and survival of ticks, their hosts (such as deer), and the bacteria that cause Lyme disease are all strongly influenced by climatic factors, including temperature, precipitation and humidity." 39; moisture. "

Deadly allergy to meat

Now, there is a new problem: tick bites are linked to a deadly allergy to red meat.

Last year, research from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have found rare cases of allergy to ticks Lone Star, which takes its name from a silvery stain supposed to have the Texas form on the back of female ticks.

According to Michigan State University, the Lone Star tick, which is among the most prevalent ticks in the state, is not renowned for transmitting Lyme disease.

Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum). (Photo: epantha, Getty Images / iStockphoto)

However, in addition to the lethal allergy to red meat, the Lone Star tick is painful and can spread other diseases such as tick paralysis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.

These cases spread as the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick, migrates and multiplies throughout the state.

In 1998, the blacklegged tick was firmly established in only five counties, but in 2016, it had established itself in 25 counties and had moved beyond the shoreline of Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to St. Joseph.

A specimen with blacklegged ticks collected at W.K from Michigan State University. Kellogg Experimental Forest in Augusta, MI, October 23, 2016. (Photo courtesy of Jean Tsao)

The number of reported cases is now around 400,000 per year, although this can also be underestimated.

And the researchers say that even if they are treated, the symptoms of Lyme disease may persist under the name Lyme syndrome post-treatment or post-treatment Lyme syndrome, characterized by fatigue, pain, and cognitive dysfunction

Read more:

Tick-borne Lyme disease explodes in Michigan

Lone star tick could be the last invader in Michigan

Some experts have hypothesized that ticks are moving in Michigan because they attach to birds, deer, dogs and other animals, then multiply, each female laying about 2,000 eggs.

Prevent, treat tick bites

To protect against tick bites, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts recommend wearing light colored protective clothing, such as hats, pants and long sleeves, and using an insect repellent, such as DEET and picaridine.

Light-colored clothing makes it easier to detect ticks.

Permethrin, an insecticide, kills ticks on contact, but should not be applied directly to the skin. Boots, clothing and camping gear can be treated with permethrin, which lasts several times.

Do not use repellent on babies under two months old.

When hiking, stay on well maintained trails and avoid contact with grass, brush and dead leaves overgrown with vegetation.

After being outside, check for ticks on your clothes and skin. Ticks can penetrate into body crevices like underarms, belly buttons, knees and hide in the hair, where they can be hard to find without looking closely.

Check your dogs and other pets too.

A shower could also help, by eliminating ticks that have not attacked the skin.

Clothes can be thrown into the dryer on high heat to kill all the hidden ticks.

If you find a tick, the best way to remove it is to use a tweezers. Grab it as close to the skin as possible. Pull up with the place, even the pressure. Do not twist or shake your head. You do not want it to come off and stay in the skin.

Then clean the area with rubbing alcohol, iodine or soap and water.

Never smash a tick. Instead, dip it in alcohol, put it in a sealed container or wrap it in duct tape and throw it in the toilet.

Experts say that if you are sick and have recently had a tick on your skin or if you have been in an area where there may be ticks, it is important to see a doctor and tell him or her to prevent it. disease can be diagnosed accurately.

Taylor, who issued Onekama's warning on ticks, said he preferred to talk about the outdoor activities of his hometown. The community – both a village and a town – takes its name from an American Indian word meaning "singing water".

Unfortunately, even in an outdoor paradise, people must be wary of harmful insects like ticks.