PITTSBURGH — Spring in Western Pennsylvania is prime time for ticks. A Pennsylvania lab that studies ticks told Channel 11 most of the ticks they’re studying are coming from the Pittsburgh area.
“Pennsylvania is very ticky. So, anytime we’re outdoors, we should be doing a tick check,” said Nicole Chinnici. She’s the director of the Tick Research of Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg University.
Ticks are pretty gross and love the climate of Western Pennsylvania. While tick season is all year long, right now is when it’s peaking.
“The nymphs are starting to emerge. The nymphs are super tiny, the size of a poppy seed. And then we’ll start to see the American Dog ticks and the Lone Star ticks start to appear in the coming weeks,” Chinnici said.
At the research lab, people send Chinnici the ticks they find. She then studies them to determine what type they are and if they are carrying the bacteria that cause tick-borne disease in people and pets. She admits the Pittsburgh area has one of the largest populations of ticks, and that most of the ticks she’s getting right now are coming from the area.
“We do tell you what type of tick it is and then if it’s a carrier of a tick-borne illness, as well as how long it was potentially attached for. And then that can be used as a tool with your physician or practitioners to better understand maybe potential treatments or diagnoses that need to happen thereafter,” said Chinnici.
The lab is also in year two of a new project. They’re trying to reduce the tick population in Pennsylvania altogether. Right now, it’s focused on Northeast and Northwest PA, but could expand if it’s successful.
“We are doing some better spray than a pesticide. So, we’re using a bioinsecticide. We’re looking at various vaccines for small mammals and combinations of both, to see if there’s a way we can reduce the burden of ticks and the diseases that they’re carrying,” said Chinnici.
Chinnici advised, if you do find a tick on yourself, don’t follow the so-called remedies you see on social media, like rubbing soap, alcohol or nail polish remover. People should use fine-point tweezers and grab the tick at the base of the mouth part. Pull straight up and out.
“You do want to clean the area, use a little alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, soap and water just because they do have dirty mouth parts. Remember, they’re from the environment, and the mouth part just went into your body, so do expect a red mark there. That’s common for most tick bites because of their dirty mouth parts, but if you see that big red ring around it, like that bull’s eye, you will want to talk to your physician,” Chinnici advised.
People need to remember these pests are everywhere, not just deep in the woods. So, take the extra steps to protect yourself, your family and your pets.
“If you have deer, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, any wildlife in your area, you will have ticks,” Chinnici said. “You have to know that in your backyard, we enjoy seeing our wildlife, but they do bring in some of those fleas and ticks. So, we just have to be mindful of that.
Anyone can send a tick to the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab to get tested. Just put it in a Ziplock bag and send it in; the testing is free.
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