As the weather continues to improve in Southwestern Virginia and more people are spending time outdoors, we encourage all Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts residents to take steps to protect themselves from insect-borne diseases. In 2022, we received reports of 14 insect-borne diseases (excluding cases of Lyme disease) in our RCAHD localities. These included cases of neuroinvasive West Nile virus caused by mosquitoes as well as tick-borne diseases ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These illnesses are a serious public health concern because they can lead to severe illness requiring hospitalization and in extreme cases, death.

Although more than 15 different types of ticks have been found in Virginia, the two common ticks of particular concern are:

• the black-legged tick, which transmits lyme disease.
• the Lonestar tick, found in suburban areas at lower levels of elevation such as ours, which transmits ehrlichiosis and can cause red meat allergies (alpha gal).

The most important strategies to protect yourself are those that prevent you from being bitten in the first place. The best protection to enjoy the outdoors is to use an insect repellant that protects against both ticks and mosquitoes, such as those with a concentration of 20-50% DEET. Follow the product label directions to use it safely on your skin and on your clothes. Although natural substances such as eucalyptus or lemon oil have repellant qualities, they may not be as effective as DEET.

Another strategy is to pre-treat your shoes and clothes with permethrin spray to provide a long- lasting repellant barrier against bugs. Also, tuck your pants into your socks when you are outdoors, and remember to protect your pets: medicated collars, oral or topical products formulated specially for pets can be very effective.

After outdoor activity, inspect your children, clothing, and gear for ticks. The running water of a shower can also wash away ticks before they attach.

If you do find a tick, use tweezers to carefully pull the tick straight away from your skin, making sure to remove the head as well as the body. Do not attempt to cover it in petroleum jelly, nail polish remover, or any other substance. Be careful not to squeeze the tick’s swollen belly. After tick removal, clean the skin and bite area with rubbing alcohol.

The longer ticks are attached to the body, the greater chance that they can pass along an illness. Each tick species transmits different diseases, so knowing which tick has bitten you gives your doctor more insight to diagnose any resulting illness. If you have symptoms such as a bulls- eye rash, fever, or body aches, please see your doctor.

Rather than dispose of the tick, you can mail the tick to the Virginia Department of Health for identification. This free service, part of the “Virginia Tick Survey,” will provide you with information about the species of tick that has bitten you which can also help your doctor treat you should you become sick. In addition, the results of the data collected in the survey are also shared with the public at the county level on the VDH website.

Knowing how to protect yourself and your pets can help ensure your enjoyment of outdoor activities throughout the upcoming warmer months. More information about insect-borne diseases and how to participate in the tick survey are available on the VDH website.