Repellents

• Always use according to labels.
• Use repellents with 20-30% DEET (or an alternative active ingredient) on exposed skin and clothing to prevent tick bites.
• Permethrin is also effective against ticks and lasts for days and weeks, but only apply it on clothing; not directly to skin.
• Always help children apply repellents according to labeled instructions.
• Never apply repellents to infants under 2 months of age.
• Find the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered tick repellent that is right for you.
• Visit this UW-Madison page for information and research studies on repellent effectiveness.
• Additional research on repellent options and effectiveness.
• Purchase BioUD repellent, a formulation of a natural active ingredient isolated from a wild tomato plant, which is a very effective natural alternative to DEET.

Clothing

• Wear long sleeves, long pants and long socks to keep ticks on the outside of clothing.
• Light colored clothing will help you spot ticks.
• Tuck shirts into pants and pants into shoes or socks.
• Purchase permethrin-treated clothing.

Tick Avoidance

• Avoid wooded and brushy areas that contain high grass and leaves.
• If you do go into wooded areas, stay in the center of a cleared trail to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush, and leaves.

 For full text and more information visit Preventing Tick Bites (CDC).

Body Check and Unattached Ticks

• Check your body for ticks after being outdoors, especially the armpits, scalp, and groin.
• Do tick checks on your children and pets after being outside.
• Remove any ticks from clothing, gear, and pets before going inside.
• Take a shower or bath as soon as possible to wash off any ticks that might still be on your body.
• Put clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes for dry clothes and 1 hour for wet clothes to kill remaining ticks.

Remove an Attached Tick

• Grasp it with narrow tweezers or forceps as close to the skin as possible. If you don't have tweezers, use your fingers covered with tissue paper or rubber gloves. Do not handle the tick with bare hands.
• Don't squeeze, crush, or puncture the tick. Firmly and slowly pull it up and out at a steady rate.
• After removing the tick, clean the bite site with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Finally, wash your hands with soap and water.

If you remove a tick from your body, getting the tick tested for any diseases is NOT recommended for these reasons:

• Tick testing laboratories may have lower standards than clinical diagnostic laboratories.
• If your tick tests positive for a disease, it doesn't necessarily mean you were infected.
• If your tick tests negative for a disease, it doesn't rule out infection from other ticks you may have been bitten by.
• If you have been infected, you'll likely get symptoms and need treatment before getting your tick testing results back.

However, if you're curious and want to know what type of tick bit you, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) offers an online Tick Reporting and Identification Program.

The Eau Claire City-County Health Department doesn't offer testing of individual ticks brought in by community members. If you're interested in having a tick tested, visit https://tickencounter.org/tick_testing. (Note that there is a cost for testing.)

Most people don't need to see a doctor immediately after being bitten by a tick. The CDC's Tick Bite Bot is an interactive tool that can help you decide if you should see a doctor. Taking antibiotics is usually not recommended to prevent illnesses caused by ticks after being bitten, but it can be helpful in some circumstances.

Whether or not you see a doctor immediately after a tick bite, you should watch for symptoms for 30 days after removing the tick. Call a doctor right away if you get any of the following symptoms during this time:

• Rash
• Fever
• New or worsening fatigue
• New or worsening muscle pain
• Joint swelling and pain 

Call a doctor right away if you get any of the following symptoms within 30 days after being bitten:

• Rash
• Fever
• New or worsening fatigue
• New or worsening muscle pain
• Joint swelling and pain

Be sure to tell your doctor:

• About the recent tick bite
• When the bite happened
• Where you most likely got the tick

• Lyme disease Ticks Me Off Toolkit: The Health Department has been collecting deer ticks from Big Falls County Park and Lowe's Creek County Park since 2014. In 2017, we expanded our research to Carson Park and Phoenix Park. The Health Department Laboratory tests collected ticks from these parks for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) and Ehrlichiosis. This toolkit details the methods, results and lessons learned from the research we conducted in 2017-2018.
• Lyme disease in pets: This handout gives information about preventing tick-borne disease, symptoms of pets with Lyme disease, removing a tick, and treatment.
• Tick Sign: This sign is posted at many local parks and gives the top 10 tips to avoid tick bites.
• Protect Your Family brochure: This printable brochure has a comparison of different types of insect repellents and tips for staying safe.
• Repellent research handout: Dig into research about different types of insect repellents.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has many free educational materials on their website including Lyme disease prevention for kids (crossword puzzle, comic strip, bookmarks) and fact sheets in English and Spanish.
• UW-Madison, Midwest Center of Excellence, Vector-borne Disease
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has many free resources and fact sheets available.
• Videos:
  • Wisconsin DHS: Tips for Preventing Lyme Disease
  • Minnesota Department of Health: How to Watch out for Ticks
  • Fairfax County Government: Tick 1-2 (Lyme disease prevention rap)

• Provide consultation and information to the public on eliminating or controlling insects capable of causing or transmitting disease to humans.
• Investigate and enforce state, county, and city rules regarding insect infestation problems of public health importance.
• Provide consultation and other resources to address vector borne diseases.

• There are many types of mosquitoes in Wisconsin, but only some types can spread illnesses. Most people can become ill from a mosquito bite in the summer and early fall when mosquitoes are most active. Warmer and wetter climates can increase the risk of getting an illness from a mosquito. While mosquitoes do spread illnesses, most people infected with a virus spread by mosquitoes never know they are infected.
• Mosquitoes have a life cycle of four different stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Only adult female mosquitoes bite humans and other animals to get their blood meal. After a blood meal, they lay their eggs on or near water, starting the life cycle again. This can take two weeks but can range from four days to one month. Mosquito eggs need little water to hatch and develop into adult mosquitoes. 
• Mosquitoes typically live near slow-moving or stagnant water, wooded areas, and in tall grass.

• Illnesses spread by mosquitoes in Wisconsin include Eastern equine encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon virus, La Crosse encephalitis, Saint Louis encephalitis, and West Nile Virus.
• Mosquitoes can get a virus by feeding on infected animals and can then spread it to humans by biting them. 
• Once a person has a certain mosquito-transmitted disease, they usually cannot get that disease again. 
• Most people infected with a virus spread by a mosquito never know they are infected. If someone does have symptoms it could occur 5 to 15 days after being bitten and may include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, skin rash, fatigue, as well as more severe symptoms. 

• Use insect repellent with 20-30% DEET, 10-20% picaridin, 10-20% IR3535, or 30-40% oil of lemon eucalyptus on skin and clothes.
  • Parents should always apply repellents on children.
  • Do not use repellents on children under two months of age.
  • Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus on children under three years old.
• Use 0.5% permethrin on clothes and gear. Permethrin is a pesticide that kills mosquitoes. DO NOT apply permethrin directly to skin.
• Always read the label instructions before using repellent.
• Find out which repellent is best for you.
• Check out the Insect Repellent Essentials: A Brief Guide.
• Use screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering.
• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing
  • Wear loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes during peak mosquito activity hours.
  • Wear a head net if you go into areas with high mosquito activity. 

Mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to breed. Drain anything in your yard that collects water or allows water to stand. 

• Trash bins: Cover outdoor trash and recycling cans with tight-fitting lids. 
• Flowerpots: Drain dishes under flowerpots every few days. 
• Leaves: Clean up leaves in your yard from low-lying areas to reduce collection of water.
• Gutters: Keep gutters and downspouts cleaned and maintained. 
• Tires: Empty water out of tires or tire swings or get rid of old tires. 
• Birdbaths and pet dishes: Replace the water in birdbaths and pets’ water dishes at least twice a week. 

• Provide consultation and information to the public on eliminating or controlling insects capable of causing or transmitting disease to humans.
• Investigate and enforce state, city and county rules regarding insect infestation problems of public health importance.
• Provide consultation and other resources to address vector borne diseases.