North Iowa Outdoors: Don’t Get “Ticked”

Iowans who spend any time enjoying the outdoors need to be on-guard for ticks, as Lyme disease cases are on the rise in the state. Dr. Greg DeMuri, an infectious disease physician, says you can cut your chances of an infection by taking a few simple precautions anytime you’re heading into the woods for a hike.

There are also a wide variety of tick repellants on the market which can be highly effective at keeping the pests away.

If you find and remove a tick from yourself or someone else, pay attention to its coloring before you dispose of it. A deer tick’s lower back is red in color, while a wood tick has a black lower back section.

Scientists say our planet is gradually warming and DeMuri says climate change may be contributing to the number ticks in Iowa and across the region.

If you do get infected, Lyme disease can typically be cured with a course of antibiotics that runs two to four weeks, though some patients may have symptoms six months later. Those symptoms can include things like pain, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.