ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 17, 1996 TAG: 9605170072
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
NOTE: Below
Ticks - potentially dangerous bugs with a bloodlust - are out in force this spring, scientists say.
Daniel Sonenshine, a biology professor and tick expert at Old Dominion University, said tick populations are especially high this year in part because of the harsh winter Virginia experienced.
``The snow cover acts as an incubating blanket. The snow melts off, and there are the ticks,'' he said.
Ticks spend the winter nestled in the top soil, waiting for warm temperatures.
In spring, they emerge with one thing on their minds - drinking blood.
Nymph ticks use host mammals - anything from mice to horses to people - to feed and as transportation to the next meal.
They also need blood to lay their eggs.
``Normally, less than 2 percent of the larvae find hosts,'' Sonenshine said.
Ticks are creatures of the most unpleasant kind. If they get a chance to feed as long as 20 to 40 minutes, they can make the host mammal sick, generally by defecating into the bite wound.
Although evidence so far is anecdotal, tick populations appear higher than usual both across Virginia and in Maryland, scientists said.
``There are a heckuva lot of ticks this year,'' said Kevin Sweeney of the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Sweeney, who is responsible for identifying ticks and testing for the Lyme disease some carry, said he has seen a nearly 30 percent increase in specimens brought in for testing.
"We're having a bad season," said Dr. Linda Jennings, a veterinarian at Southern Hills Animal Hospital in Roanoke.
Ticks seldom do lasting harm to humans, but they can cause:
* Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can kill if untreated.
* Ehrlichnosis, which is a lot like Rocky Mountain spotted fever but not fatal.
* Lyme disease, which if untreated in the early stages can cause arthritis, heart disease or neurological problems.
One human case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever already has been reported this year in the Alleghany Health District, which includes the Roanoke Valley and the Clifton Forge area. In Virginia, 34 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever were reported in 1995 and 22 in 1994.
At least two dogs have been treated for the disease so far this spring.
Symptoms include fever, headache, rash, nausea and vomiting.
So far, no Lyme disease cases have been reported.
The deer tick, or black-legged tick, carries Lyme disease.
Deer ticks are smaller than the more common dog tick or lone star ticks.
Lyme disease symptoms include a bull's-eye-shaped rash and soreness at the site of the bite.
Sweeney said he has seen mostly dog and lone star ticks so far. But the population of deer ticks is increasing annually in Virginia and Maryland, probably because the insect's preferred host, deer, are also proliferating.
In Virginia, reported Lyme disease cases actually decreased last year to 55, from 131 in 1994, and health officials credit growing awareness of the dangers of ticks.
People have learned that vigilance - and wearing light clothing so ticks are noticeable - can help them prevent tick bites.
If you go outdoors from April to September, check your body for ticks afterward.
If you find one that has gotten a good mouthhold on you, see a doctor, suggests Steve Shepard, a specialist with the Roanoke health department.
After a walk in the woods or long grass, check your entire body for ticks.
The same goes for dogs or other pets. Pets might also benefit from tick collars, Jennings said.
Staff writer Sandra Brown Kelly contributed information to this story.
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by KRT. color. Illustration by KRT. color.by CNB