PINEVILLE-- Rural Missourians know it is common to pick up ticks while spending time outdoors. Ticks live in the grass and brush, and feed on the blood of humans and animals. When you walk or play outdoors, ticks can brush off the grass onto your skin.

Ticks usually bite humans in warm places, such as the underarms, sock-line, behind the ears, under tight-fitting clothing and in the hair. They effectively pass disease from animals to humans through their saliva and blood. Tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia and lyme disease. The recently discovered Heartland virus and Bourbon virus are also believed to be passed by tick bites. In fact, in the U.S., ticks are responsible for more human disease than any other insect.

"Most people completely recover from tick-borne disease," says administrator Paige Behm, "but people over 50 years old and people with chronic health conditions are more likely to develop a serious illness that can lead to complications."

Behm adds it's important to check for ticks when you return indoors and remove ticks as soon as you find them. Use tweezers to grasp the tick as closely to your skin as possible and then pull with steady pressure, rather than twisting or jerking. Wash your hands and the bite site with soap and water after removing the tick.

Label a sealable sandwich bag with the date, place the tick inside, and keep it in your freezer for 2-3 weeks in case you get sick. Watch for symptoms like a sudden fever, muscle pain, or headache followed by a rash. Contact your health care provider immediately if these symptoms develop.

The most effective way to prevent tick-borne disease is to limit your exposure to ticks.

• Avoid the moist, cool places under ground cover, brush or leaves where they live.

• Eliminate tick habitat in your yard by clearing away brush, litter and wood piles.

• Prune tree branches to let sunlight in, and keep your grass mowed short.

• When you hike or spend extended time outdoors, stay on trails and out of the brush.

• Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easy to see.

• Wear long pants, socks and shoes, and tuck your pants into your socks.

• Also apply an insect repellent that contains DEET. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and wash the repellent off your skin when you return indoors.

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