Babesiosis primary prevention

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

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Overview

Babesiosis prevention strategies are based on avoiding potential, infected, tick bites. Avoiding tick bites may be accomplished through limited exposure to endemic areas. However if it is impossible or impractical to avoid these areas, several preventative strategies may be implemented. These strategies are indicated under the Prevention title below. Other prevention strategies include a proper removal of the tick. This process is also outlined below under the title, the best way to remove a tick.

Primary Prevention

To help prevent babesiosis, you should avoid wooded areas, tall grass, and bushes where there may be ticks, particularly from May through September when ticks are most active. If you do walk or hike in these areas, be sure to :

• Wear light-colored clothing.
• Tuck your pants legs into your socks so ticks can’t get inside your pants.
• Wear a long-sleeved shirt and tuck it inside your pants.
• Apply an insecticide containing permethrin to your clothes. Note, permethrin should be applied only to clothes (e.g., pants bottoms, socks, shirt sleeves). The effects will last several days.
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET to your skin. Because DEET lasts only a few hours, you may need to reapply it.
• Look for ticks on your body, including in your scalp, after returning from a walk or hike.
• Check children and pets for ticks.

Generally, an infected tick has to be on your body for at least 24 hours before it passes on the parasite to you via a bite.

The best way to remove a tick

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers or notched tick extractor, and protect your fingers with a tissue, paper towel, or latex gloves. Persons should avoid removing ticks with bare hands.
2. Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this may cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. (If this happens, remove mouthparts with tweezers. Consult your health care provider if illness occurs.)
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water.

Tick removal process

• Do not squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick because its fluids may contain infectious organisms. Skin accidentally exposed to tick fluids can be disinfected with iodine scrub, rubbing alcohol, or water containing detergents.

Removal of an embedded tick using fine-tipped tweezers

• Save the tick for identification in case you become ill. This may help your doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. Place the tick in a sealable plastic bag and put it in your freezer. Write the date of the bite on a piece of paper with a pencil and place it in the bag.