Experts urge North Carolinians to take tick precautions before Fourth of July outdoor activities
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — As North Carolinians prepare for a Fourth of July weekend filled with cookouts, hiking trips, and other outdoor celebrations, experts are warning that ticks could pose a greater threat than many holiday travelers realize.
Whether spending the holiday in the woods, at a local park, or in a backyard, health and wildlife experts say taking a few simple precautions can help prevent tick bites and the diseases they may carry.
According to the National Pest Management Association, emergency room visits related to tick bites have reached their highest level in the past five years.
While Lyme disease is the illness most commonly associated with ticks, experts say there is another emerging concern.
“A new thing that’s on the horizon is alpha-gal syndrome, which is the red meat allergy that seems to be triggered by bites from the lone star tick,” said Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist with the National Pest Management Association.
The lone star tick is one of four species commonly found in North Carolina.
Wildlife officials say deer play a significant role in maintaining tick populations, making wooded areas and places where deer are commonly seen more likely to harbor ticks.
“Deer are basically the biggest, most common animal out in the woods that a tick will interact with,” said Miranda Turner, a wildlife health biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. “They’re common, they have plenty of blood, so they’re a great resource for ticks to feed off of, then lay eggs and increase their population.”
Turner noted that although deer support tick populations, they are not typically the source of diseases such as Lyme disease. Instead, ticks often acquire those pathogens by feeding on smaller animals, including mice.
Laura Rosenwald, an entomologist with the National Pest Management Association, recommends dressing appropriately when spending time in areas prone to ticks.
“Wearing the appropriate wear when you go outside, and you think you’re going to be in kind of a tick-infested habitat,” Rosenwald said. “The really fashionable look of long socks over your pants and making sure that you’re wearing light colors.”
Experts also recommend using an EPA-registered insect repellent, staying on established trails when hiking and avoiding tall grass and dense brush whenever possible.
After returning indoors, people should carefully check themselves, their children and their pets for ticks. If a tick is found attached to the skin, it should be removed promptly using fine-tipped tweezers by grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and pulling upward with steady, even pressure.
After removing the tick, experts advise washing the bite area and hands thoroughly with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
