Stay Safe
Ticks, West Nile virus and poison ivy are common in the Black Hills National Forest. Use these tips to help you stay safe during your visit.
Ticks
Seventeen tick species live in South Dakota, but the American dog tick is the most common. It can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other diseases. These steps can help protect you and your pets:
- Avoid tall grass and shrubs. Ticks wait on plants for people or animals to brush past.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants. Tuck pants into socks or boots.
- Use rubber bands around your wrists to close gaps in clothing.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Choose light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to see.
- Check yourself, children and pets for ticks after being in tall grass or wooded areas.
- Use repellents with DEET. Use recommended tick-control products on pets, such as collars with amitraz.
Once on a person or animal, ticks move upward and often attach near the neck or scalp.
Removing a Tick
- Remove attached ticks as soon as possible.
- Use tweezers and grip the tick close to the skin. Pull slowly and steadily.
- Do not crush, twist or puncture the tick.
- Do not use matches or other folk methods. These can cause the tick to release more infectious material.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or rubbing alcohol and wash your hands.
- Place the tick in alcohol in a sealed bag and refrigerate it in case identification is needed. (Flushing a tick will not kill it.)
- If the head remains in the skin, see a doctor to avoid infection.
More About Ticks and Tickborne Disease (CDC.gov)
West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) arrived in the United States in 1999 and now appears across the country. It spreads mainly through the bite of an infected mosquito. Humans, birds, horses and other mammals can be infected.
Most people have mild flu-like symptoms or none at all. The virus can cause severe illness, including encephalitis or meningitis. Older adults have a higher risk.
How to Reduce Mosquito Bites
- Use repellents with DEET and follow label directions.
- Limit outdoor activity between dusk and dawn.
- Wear long sleeves, pants, socks and shoes, especially when mosquitoes are active.
- Avoid shady, brushy areas where mosquitoes rest.
- Remove standing water around your home.
- Repair window and door screens.
- Horse owners may want to use the annual WNV vaccine. No human vaccine exists.
South Dakota has 43 mosquito species, but only nine can carry WNV. Most cases happen in late summer or early fall. Few mosquitoes carry the virus, and less than 1 percent of infected people become seriously ill.
About 20 percent of infected people develop mild symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, a rash on the trunk or swollen lymph nodes. About 1 in 150 people develop severe symptoms, which may include high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, seizures, muscle weakness, paralysis, coma or other neurological problems. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 14 days after infection.
More About West Nile (CDC.gov)
Poison Ivy
The saying “leaves of three, let it be” helps people avoid poison ivy. The plant has shiny green leaflets in groups of three. Touching the plant, or touching contaminated clothing or pet fur, can cause swelling, itching, blisters or a rash.
The chemical urushiol, found in all parts of the plant but most concentrated in the sap, causes the reaction. Many home remedies exist, but the best protection is to avoid the plant and wash skin gently and thoroughly after exposure.