What Happens If You Get Bit By a Lone Star Tick?
Posted by Mosquito SquadApril 30, 2024
The lone star tick with a white dot can result in one of a number tick-borne illnesses.
Most lone star tick bites do not result in disease transmission. However, this is not to say that you will not get sick if you are bitten by a lone star tick. The appearance of this tick in new areas and their increase in population should have you on high alert in the Nashville area. The more ticks there are, the higher the likelihood of disease transmission. This is a chance you do not want to take.
What diseases does the lone star tick carry?
You could develop a skin reaction to the tick’s saliva after a bite. Lone star ticks in Tennessee can harbor a variety of illnesses; some potentially fatal, especially to immunocompromised persons. Many of the illnesses below begin with flu-like symptoms that include fever, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headache, loss of appetite, and stomach upset. Tularemia has additional symptoms that include swelling of lymph nodes, skin and mouth ulcers, eye inflammation, sore throat, and respiratory illness.
- Ehrlichiosis
- Alpha-gal syndrome
- Heartland virus disease
- Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
- Bourbon virus disease
- Tularemia
Should I worry about the lone star tick?
You should be wary of all the ticks we have in Tennessee. They can be plentiful in the right environment and must be addressed before you or a family member gets bitten. These ticks include not just the lone star tick, but also the black-legged tick, Asian Longhorned tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick. The smartest way to lower your chances of tick exposure is to control the number of ticks on your property.
The best Franklin tick control is a multi-faceted approach. This includes homeowners creating a less tick friendly environment around their homes, coupled with professional tick treatments by Mosquito Squad of Nashville. When you choose proactive tick protection all season long, our experienced tick control technicians will treat your yard for ticks every two to three weeks from springtime through autumn.
Search for Franklin tick control and call Mosquito Squad of Nashville.
Call (615) 492-3662 to learn more about Mosquito Squad, your trusted source for tick control in Franklin TN and other pest control services too!