How dangerous are insects and when is it necessary to use a tick spray?
A tick bite can turn a pleasant walk through the woods or an afternoon in the garden into a cause for concern. But being bitten by a tick is not an immediate reason to panic. Tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, can be effectively treated. On the other hand, using a tick spray solution can save you from many unpleasantries. It can be difficult to know if you have been bitten by a tick because the bite does not hurt and you might not even feel it. The only way to find out if you have been bitten by a tick is to inspect your body after a walk in nature.
Table of Contents
- How do ticks transmit diseases?
- What are the diseases transmitted by ticks?
- Do I need to go to the hospital if I am bitten by a tick?
- What are the signs of Lyme disease?
- What repellent products can be used to prevent tick bites?
1. How do ticks transmit diseases?
Ticks have four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. In each stage, after hatching, they must feed on the blood of hosts to transform and enter the next phase. Different species of ticks prefer certain animal species to survive. When a tick feeds, it can pick up pathogens residing in the host's blood – pathogens that may have been left behind by other ticks. This is true for ticks in all life stages, including small ticks. (Source)
Pathogens do not transfer automatically once a tick attaches. Many ticks do not carry the viruses and bacteria that cause diseases and, even if they are present, different pathogens are transmitted at different speeds. Some pathogens, such as the Powassan virus, can be transmitted in just 15 minutes.
Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen that causes most cases of Lyme disease, needs at least 36 hours to pass from a tick's gut into the host's bloodstream. Diagnosing Lyme disease is difficult because B. burgdorferi initially remains in the skin after being transmitted, leaving relatively low levels of antibodies in the blood for several weeks, which makes the disease hard to detect. For these reasons, using a tick spray is extremely important, especially when hiking in nature. (Source)
2. What are the diseases transmitted by ticks?
Ticks and tick-borne diseases are on the rise due to three factors: climate change, an increase in tick habitats, and increasing awareness among healthcare professionals. (Source)
There are several tick-borne diseases that vary in severity and symptoms.
- Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks).
- Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis are two closely related diseases (caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia, respectively) that are also transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick (a deer tick, in the case of anaplasmosis, or a lone star tick, in the case of ehrlichiosis).
- Babesiosis is a malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells. It usually causes flu-like symptoms but can cause serious and even fatal illness in the elderly and those who are immunocompromised.
- The Powassan virus is a rare, potentially serious infection transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick. People infected with the Powassan virus cannot transmit it to others, although it can be transmitted through blood transfusions involving blood donated by an infected person.
Is a tick bite an immediate danger?
Once a tick attaches to an individual, it starts to feed – and can remain attached for days. It then falls off when it is full.
As mentioned, the amount of time a tick needs to transmit an infection varies depending on the infectious agent. Usually, the tick that someone does not find, which is especially the case for small ticks that are difficult to see, is the one most likely to transmit the infection. Most people who develop Lyme disease do not recognize the causative tick bite. It should be noted that all these unpleasantries can be prevented by caution and the use of a tick spray solution.
3. Do I need to go to the hospital if I am bitten by a tick?
You can remove the tick on your own, without going to the emergency room. Grasp the tick with fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible and simply pull upward until it comes out. If a bit of the tick's mouthparts remains in the skin, leave it. It is important to wear latex gloves when touching a tick that may be macerated, or softened.
Klintensiv Advice: Even though a tick can be removed at home, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible so they can determine, if necessary, an appropriate treatment.
4. What are the signs of Lyme disease?
It is important to distinguish between symptoms and signs when analyzing whether a doctor will test a patient for Lyme disease. Symptoms are subjective – fatigue, pain, muscle or joint pain, headaches, or perceived cognitive difficulties, for example. Signs, on the other hand, are objective physical findings, such as a rash, facial nerve paralysis, redness, swelling, and/or pain during joint movement, for example.
While patients with Lyme disease may have headaches, fatigue, or joint pain, these are extremely common symptoms of many conditions, such as viral infections or even stress. If a patient only has non-specific symptoms, without any signs of Lyme disease, it is much more likely that the cause is something other than Lyme disease.
Signs of Lyme disease in more advanced stages may include additional rashes, arthritis with swollen joints (the knee is the most commonly involved joint), facial nerve paralysis, irregular or slow heartbeat (Lyme carditis), or inflammation of the brain or spinal cord. (Source)
How are tick-borne diseases diagnosed?
Many of these diseases are associated with abnormal results from standard blood tests (e.g., a low white blood cell and/or platelet count in the case of anaplasmosis). For many of these tick-borne diseases, diagnosis is made based on specific blood tests. (Source)
5. What repellent products can be used to prevent tick bites?
There are many tick and insect repellent products to choose from. Each contains one or more active ingredients, listed on the label. Some common active ingredients in repellent products, whether we are talking about tick spray or mosquito spray, include:
- DEET (the label may say N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide); products have been widely used for many years and come in many different concentrations, some even at 100%.
- Picaridin (the label may say KBR 3023) is a colorless, almost odorless active ingredient used in repellent products. Products containing picaridin are just as effective at repelling mosquitoes as products containing similar concentrations of DEET.
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) is an active ingredient found naturally in eucalyptus. It has a distinctive smell, and products containing OLE are just as effective at repelling ticks, being also the most used products of the mosquito spray type.
- P-menthane-3,8-diol is an artificial version of oil of lemon eucalyptus and has similar repellent properties.
- IR3535 is another active ingredient in tick spray-type repellent products; but in some cases, these products also contain sunscreen and moisturizers. Avoid combination products. Sunscreen and moisturizers should be applied generously, while repellent products should be applied sparingly.
- Permethrin is different from other repellent active ingredients because it kills ticks and insects that come into contact with it. Repellent products containing permethrin are registered only for use on clothing, not on the skin. The permethrin on treated clothing remains effective after several washes.
There are also insect repellent products available that contain botanical oils, such as geranium, cedar, lemongrass, soybean, or citronella oil. Because most botanical oils are not regulated in the same way as the active ingredients above, they have not been tested for their potential to cause health effects or their effectiveness as a repellent. However, available information about these products indicates that they generally have limited effectiveness in repelling ticks and insects.
Klintensiv Advice: Use KLINODIOL® Mosquito and Tick Spray, formulated with Citriodiol® with an effect of up to 10 hours after application. The product is dermatologically tested; it does not leave greasy or sticky traces on the skin and does not affect eyeglass frames or camera lenses.
When using a mosquito and tick spray, consider where you are going, how long you will be outside, how dangerous the insects are, and whether they can be carriers of diseases. Every situation is different. Use the following questions to create a "profile" that fits your situation; this can help you decide if you want to use a repellent and, if so, which product is right for mosquitoes or small ticks.
What type of insects are you concerned about?
If you are looking for protection against tick bites, it is important to know that these insects can be more difficult to repel than mosquitoes. Some repellents offer protection against all insects, but others do not. Check the product label and make sure you choose an effective tick spray.
When and where will you be exposed to tick bites?
Some pests are more active at certain times. For example, many mosquitoes are more active between dusk and dawn. Ticks can be active at any time of the day. There may also be more ticks and insects in or near tall grass, bushes, and trees.
How long will you be outside?
Will you be hanging out in the backyard for half an hour? Are you going on a full-day hike? Are you camping for a week? The longer you stay outside, the more protection you may need. Some people exposed to large numbers of ticks and mosquitoes for long periods may choose to apply repellents to both skin and clothing. With this approach, apply a moderate concentration of mosquito and tick spray at regular intervals.
Are some people more prone to insect bites than others?
Research has shown that insects, whether mosquitoes or ticks, are primarily attracted by chemical cues that the body emits, although other factors may also play a role. These involuntary factors vary from person to person and from day to day. If you realize you are particularly bothered by mosquitoes, then choosing to use a repellent may be right for you. (Source)
Conclusion
Using a mosquito and tick spray is one of the easiest ways to prevent the unpleasantries caused by insects. Read the repellent product label carefully and reapply every few hours. Although not all ticks pose the risk of transmitting diseases, there is no way to identify dangerous insects from harmless ones, whether we are talking about small ticks or mosquitoes.
Sources:
https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2749/
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/tick-borne-illnesses
