Communicable Disease Division
175 Sunset Ave
PO Box 2191
Toms River, NJ 08754
(732) 341-9700 Ext. 7515
Fax- (732) 678-0065
www.ochd.org
TICKS
Prevention, Control, Removal, and
What to do if You are Bitten by a Tick
Tick Prevention
(Remember, ticks must usually be attached for at least 24 hours before they can transmit the
bacteria that cause Lyme disease…early removal can reduce the risk of infection.)
There are several approaches to Lyme disease prevention, including personal protection, tick control, post-exposure
antibiotics and early diagnosis and treatment. You can decrease the chances of being bitten by a tick with the
following precautions:
Avoid Tick Infested Areas – especially during May, June and July. Walk in the center of trails to avoid contact
with overgrown grass, brush, and leaf litter at trail edges.
Use Insect Repellent – spray repellent containing a 20% concentration of DEET on clothes and on exposed skin.
You can also use permethrin; which kills ticks on contact or buy clothes that are pre-treated. Permethrin can also
be used on tents and some camping gear. Do NOT use permethrin directly on skin.
Bathe or Shower – bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within 2 hours) to wash
off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
Wash and Dry Clothing at a High Temperature – after being outdoors, wash, and dry clothing at a high
temperature to kill any ticks that may remain on clothing.
Perform Tick Checks – always check for ticks after being outdoors. In addition, people may come in contact with
ticks that were brought indoors on their pets.
Tick Control
Landscape to create Tick-Safe Zones – Ticks die quickly in drier environments. Increasing exposure to sun and
air by removing leaf litter and clearing tall grass and brush around houses and the edges of lawn will reduce the
numbers of ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Laying down wood chips or gravel where lawns and recreational areas
butt up against wooded areas can reduce the number of ticks on grassy areas by creating a drying barrier.
Chemical Control – the use of pesticides to control tick populations is highly effective. Pesticide application to
residential properties should be supervised by a licensed professional pest control expert.
Discourage Deer – tick populations do not decrease substantially unless deer are eradicated or severely reduced.
Removing plants that attract deer and constructing physical barriers may help discourage tick-infested deer from
coming near homes. You can get lists of deer-resistant plantings from the Rutgers Extension.
Tick Removal
If you find a tick attached to your skin, there is no need to panic. There are several tick removal devices
on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers will remove a tick quite effectively. If you have
concerns after removing a tick, please call your health care professional.
How To Remove a Tick
1. Use a fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off
and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the
mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or
soap and water.
4. Do not use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish or other products to remove a tick.
Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease
The early stage of Lyme disease is usually marked by one or more of the following signs and symptoms:
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A characteristic skin rash
Fatigue
Chills and fever
Headache
Muscle and joint pain
Swollen lymph nodes
Many doctors prescribe antibiotics to prevent Lyme disease after a known tick bite. It may be
beneficial in some cases, depending on disease presence in the local area and the duration of the tick
attachment. Your health care provider must determine whether the advantages of using antibiotics
outweigh the disadvantages in any particular instance.
If you notice a characteristic rash or other possible symptoms consult your health care provider immediately.
You can request a listing of laboratories that provide tick analysis services from the
Ocean County Health Department.
If you have any further questions, please call the
Ocean County Health Department at 732.341.9700, ext. 7515