Health beat: DEET, showers and tick checks can stop ticks

Gardening, camping, hiking and playing outdoors -- when enjoying these activities, don't forget to take steps to prevent bites from ticks that share the outdoors. Ticks can infect humans with bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause serious illness. Diseases that can be caught from a tick bite include anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, southern tick-associated rash illness, tickborne relapsing fever, tularemia, Colorado tick fever and Powassan encephalitis.

Before going outdoors

Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in moist and humid environments, particularly in or near wooded or grassy areas. People may come into contact with ticks during outdoor activities around homes or when walking through leaf litter or near shrubs. Always walk in the center of trails in order to avoid contact with ticks.

Products containing permethrin kill ticks. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings.

Use a repellent with DEET on skin. Repellents containing 20 percent or more DEET can protect up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to children, avoiding the hands, eyes and mouth.

After coming indoors

Check clothing for ticks. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Placing clothes into a dryer on high heat for at least an hour effectively kills ticks.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce the risk of getting Lyme disease. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.

Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, which even includes backyards. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of the body. Check these parts of the body for ticks:

* Under the arms

* In and around the ears

* Inside belly button

* Back of the knees

* In and around the hair

* Between the legs

* Around the waist

What if an attached tick is found

Remove the attached tick as soon as its noticed it by grasping it with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and pulling it straight out. For detailed information about tick removal, visit cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html.

Watch for signs of illness such as rash or fever in the days and weeks after the bite, and see a health care provider if these develop. The risk of acquiring a tickborne illness depends on many factors, including where a person lives, what type of tick bit and how long the tick was attached. If an individual becomes ill after a tick bite, the should see a health care provider.

Reduce ticks in yards

Modify landscapes to create tick-safe zones. Regularly remove leaf litter and clear tall grasses and brush around homes, and place wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks away from recreational areas, and keep play areas and playground equipment away from shrubs, bushes and other vegetation.

Consider using a chemical control agent. Effective tick control chemicals are available for use by homeowners, or they can be applied by a professional pest control expert. Even limited applications can greatly reduce the number of ticks. A single springtime application of acaricide can reduce the population of ticks that cause Lyme disease by 68 percent to 100 percent.

Discourage deer. Removing plants that attract deer and constructing physical barriers may help discourage deer from entering yards and bringing ticks with them.

Prevent ticks on animals

Use tick control products to prevent family pets from bringing ticks into the home. Tick collars, sprays, shampoos or "top spot" medications should be used regularly to protect animals and families from ticks. Consult a veterinarian and be sure to use the products according to the package instructions.

Health Beat is a weekly spotlight on a wide range of health issues. The information contained here was provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. View the CDC features online at www.cdc.gov/features.