Medical Entomology

Source: Buckmasters From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources -- By Lowell Washburn

Common Sense Precautions Key to Avoiding Lyme Disease  

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

-- Iowa woodlands are turning green. For local outdoor enthusiasts, the time has arrived for such things as serious spring birding, matching wits with fan tailed gobblers and, of course, the perpetual quest for fresh morel mushrooms.

Unfortunately, the long awaited warm weather also marks the beginning of the annual tick season. And with those ticks comes an increasing threat of the diseases these parasites transmit—including the now infamous Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is a debilitating tick-borne illness that can rapidly transform your life into a living nightmare. Transmitted by the blacklegged (deer) tick, Lyme disease is on the increase across Iowa.

"Although at least 15 different species of ticks have been identified in Iowa, only three of those species—dog ticks, lone star ticks and blacklegged ticks—are known to attack humans or pets. And although all three species can transmit disease to humans, only the blacklegged tick can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease," says Jon Oliver, manager of Iowa State University's Lyme Disease Surveillance Program.

"There's no question that deer ticks are expanding their range across Iowa and that population densities are growing," says Oliver. "In 1993, there were a total of eight diagnosed cases of Lyme disease across the entire state. Today, we're seeing over 100 new cases each year and the number continues to grow. Given the fact that we're seeing more deer ticks in more Iowa counties each year, it's really no surprise that we're also seeing an increase in disease."

Source: The Gazette
5/22/2009
By Cindy Hadish

Myth: Ticks drop out of trees and into your hair while you’re walking in the woods.

Not true, said Jon Oliver, a graduate research assistant in the medical entomology lab at Iowa State University.

It might be more palatable to think ticks are jumping out of trees than the reality — that they crawl up your body and into your hair, said Oliver, who identifies ticks for ISU’s Lyme Disease Surveillance Program.

Regardless of how they move, Oliver said it’s important to check for ticks while camping this Memorial Day weekend, or whenever Iowans are in forested areas.

“All ticks are capable of carrying diseases,” he said.

Most predominant in Iowa is Lyme disease, carried by blacklegged ticks — commonly called deer ticks — which can cause flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, headache, fever and chills. Treatment involves antibiotics.

Some patients suffer from more serious symptoms even years later, including sensitivity to light, blurred vision, memory loss, loss of balance or paralysis.

Oliver said while it’s possible for deer ticks to live in grassy areas, most are in forests.

For example, Allamakee, Clayton and Winneshiek counties in northeast Iowa have long-established problems with deer ticks, he said.

In its immature stage, those ticks rely on the white-footed mouse as host.

“Where there’s forests, there’s this mouse; where there’s this mouse, you’re most likely going to find deer ticks or blacklegged ticks,” Oliver said. “But you can get Lyme disease potentially in any county that has deer ticks.”

Campers and hikers can use the same mosquito repellent with DEET to repel ticks, he noted.

Other tips include wearing light-colored clothing so crawling ticks can be seen more easily and wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and tucking pants into socks.

Ticks should be removed with tweezers.

Oliver said the ticks could be discarded, stepped on or flushed, but he prefers that Iowans send them to ISU’s surveillance program.

As of May 12th, 33 blacklegged or deer ticks, had been submitted to the lab. ISU also conducts mosquito surveillance, but Oliver said the first mosquitoes were just submitted today.

Last year, about 18 percent of susceptible ticks tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease and 109 human cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Information on how to send ticks to ISU and more about the program can be found at: www.ent.iastate.edu/medent

Source: Des Moines Register

By JASON PULLIAM • jpulliam@dmreg.com • May 25, 2009

Bartholomay said this season's insect crop will depend on how things take shape over the next few weeks. Spring rains have coincided with cool temperatures, a less than ideal combination from a mosquito's standpoint.

But now that the mercury has started to rise, more rainfall could translate into the kinds of conditions that breed higher numbers of the winged menaces — all 55 or so species that inhabit Iowa.

"If we don't get a lot of rain, then maybe we'll be OK," Bartholomay said. She said mosquito numbers have been average the past few years, and they aren't any more troublesome here elsewhere in the Midwest.

People like to joke each summer that the mosquito should be anointed the state bird, but it could be worse.

Lee County in Florida will spend $25 million this year to battle mosquitoes. There will be another $9.5 million in reserves. Wayne Gale, executive director of the Lee County Mosquito Control District, has 14 helicopters and five planes at his disposal.