Beware Of Ticks
Prevention and early detection are keys to disease avoidance.
May 23, 2008
Jarrod Krull
Now that the days are longer and warmer, ticks are becoming active. Outdoor enthusiasts should take precautions as ticks can spread several diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and others. Incidences of each disease vary by region, but the techniques for lowering your chance of contracting any tick-borne disease are the same.
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The easiest way to prevent a tick bite is to stay out of areas where ticks live. However, that’s not always possible, especially for the avid camper, hunter, fisherman or even the weekend gardener. If you are going to be in a wooded area where ticks are known to exist, the best protection is a good skin repellent that contains at least 25 percent DEET. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt and long pants tucked into socks also helps create a tick barrier, while light-colored clothing will help you spot ticks that you may pick up along the way. To limit exposure, backpackers, campers and hunters should avoid brushy areas if possible. For example, setting up camp in a clearing is a good practice to help reduce the chance of encountering ticks.
A new innovation to fight ticks is a treatment that creates tick-proof clothing, socks, shoes and even tents. Buggspray Insect Repellent for Ticks (www.BuggSpray.com) is a unique product that safely turns fabric into a shield that will repel and kill ticks for more than two weeks even through repeated laundering. Simply spray the product on your clothes and allow them to dry before wearing. Using a combination of DEET-based repellents on exposed skin and this “insect repellent clothing” will virtually eliminate the risk of tick and mosquito bites.