By RAY WYCHE
Staff Writer

Some are less than 1/8-inch long but they pack a mighty wallop.

They are the American dog tick, a woods and grasslands dwelling insect that lives on blood sucked from warm-blooded creatures. Ticks, also known as wood ticks, bury their heads beneath the skin of the host animal and feast on blood sucked by means of a tube lined with backward pointing teeth to ensure a tight grip on the host/victim.

The bite of the tick can cause redness and itching, but the greater danger is the possibility of transmitting diseases, chief of which is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF).

RMSF can be serious and health officials are warning residents of North Carolina — which, along with Oklahoma, are the states with the most RMSF cases — to use care to avoid tick bites.

As of last week, the N.C. Board of Health reported at least 261 cases of RMSF in the state; in 2006, 862 cases were recorded in North Carolina. One case resulted in the death of a 61-year-old Guilford County woman in May of this year.

Columbus County Health Department Director Kim Smith reported that the disease has been reported in the county this summer.

“I have seen several – four or five – reports of Columbus County cases,” Smith said.
Medical practitioners are supposed to report each case diagnosed as RMSF to the health department, Smith said.

To avoid the disease, people should take precautions to prevent tick bites when outdoors by applying insect repellants containing DEET to the ankles, shoes and feet, and other parts of the body and clothing that might come in contact with foliage.

The American dog tick attaches itself to tall weeds or grass stems and moves to warm-blooded animals as they brush by the tick’s location. The insect then begins feeding on the new host, usually in a spot covered by clothing or hair.

Pet owners should examine their animals closely after they have been outside and before handling them or allowing them indoors. Dogs are a favorite host for ticks.

Health officials recommend removing the tick by pulling steadily with a pair of tweezers – ticks should not be handled with the bare hands – so as to avoid breaking off part of the tick under the skin. The bite area should be washed with soap and water and/or alcohol.

Symptoms of RMSF include sudden-onset headaches, fever, chills, nausea and a rash. The disease usually can be controlled with antibiotics if discovered early.