Hunters and Other Outdoors Enthusiasts Need to be Aware of a New Pest

Coshocton County is the only known affected area

Black-legged ticks, some infected with Lyme disease, are known to be in the Coshocton county area. A population of these small ticks had not been established before in Ohio, according to The Ohio State University (OSU) tick biologist Dr. Glen Needham.

The adult ticks are actively looking for hosts, such as people, pets or deer, not only this fall, but on warm winter days and in the springtime. This is very different behavior from the common American dog ticks which are not active in the cold weather.

Everyone, especially hunters, should be especially aware of this new threat and take precautions to prevent tick attachment.

Outer clothing should be sprayed with a permethrin-based repellent according to label directions the day before hunting and allowed to air dry. Pants should be tucked into socks and shirt into pants to keep hungry ticks on the outside of clothing. These ticks will be difficult to spot on camouflage clothing. All clothing should be carefully inspected for small, dark crawling ticks before entering vehicles and going indoors. Once inside, the hunter should thoroughly check for small attached ticks.

Remove attached ticks as soon as they are discovered to reduce the risk of contracting Lyme disease. If you find ticks on yourself, your hunting dogs, or your deer, pull them off using the thumb and forefinger while wearing protective latex or rubber glove, or use tweezers. Ticks should be saved in a hard container, such as pill bottle or film container, so specimens are not crushed. Include a very lightly moistened piece of paper towel in the container to keep the tick alive for identification and testing. Please note the date and location of where the tick was most likely obtained, save it in the refrigerator.

Specimens can be sent to Tick Identification, Zoonotic Disease Program, 8955 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 or dropped off at the OSU County Extension office in Coshocton, located at 724 S. 7th Street.

The first sign of infection is usually a large circular rash that appears from three to 30 days after attachment and lasts for days or weeks. This rash may be followed by fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. Seek medical attention immediately if any combination of symptoms occurs, and mention the possibility of Lyme disease. Antibiotics are very effective when the disease is detected early.