As the weather improves and your family (dogs included) start to go outside for long walks and hikes, Alexandria Health Department officials said they want you to check yourself for common parasites that can cling to your body and transmit serious diseases.
Since 2020, Alexandria has seen an increase in Lyme disease, according to the local health department. The bacterial infection is transmitted through the bite of a blacklegged deer tick. Lyme disease can cause fever, fatigue, a characteristic 鈥渂ullseye鈥� shaped rash, joint stiffness and muscle aches. If left untreated, it can cause irregular heartbeats and pains in joints and muscles.
Amanda Coletti, environmental health specialist with the Alexandria Health Department, said these ticks in their 鈥渘ymph鈥� stage of the life cycle usually start to appear in the early summer months.
Alpha-gal syndrome, which is transmitted by lone star ticks and can cause an allergy to red meat, is now also a reportable disease in Virginia.
Ticks attach themselves by 鈥渜uesting,鈥� or clinging onto you as you walk by tall grass, small trees or even dead leaves.
The Alexandria Health Department has launched its 鈥淒on’t Let Ticks Stick” campaign this month to educate the public about the risks associated with the arachnids.
鈥淧art of our campaign is we want people to have the confidence and the security to go out and still enjoy beautiful Virginia,鈥� Coletti told WTOP.
Alexandria will have numerous signs at its parks encouraging visitors to complete tick checks after they leave.
鈥淚t literally takes less than five minutes,鈥� Coletti said. 鈥淵ou just check around, feel around, make sure, visually check and use your fingers to check anything.鈥�
Common spots where the little bugs can hide are your belt line, hairline, armpits, behind the knee and other 鈥渘ooks and crannies.鈥�
But look closely, some of the smaller nymphs are tiny, appearing almost like a black sesame seed.
While it can take up to 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease, Coletti said to remove the tick as quickly as possible. The Alexandria Health Department is even offering a free, credit card-sized tool to help with tick removal.
Coletti said a QR code on that card also lets you send in a 鈥渢ick pic” to experts to help identify and track tick activity in the area.
The free tools are available for pickup at the Alexandria Health Department. They will also be available at educational events across the city.
These 鈥渢ick talks,鈥� hosted by Coletti and other self-described 鈥渢ick chicks,鈥� will be spread across the city:
- Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at William Ramsay Recreation Center
- April 25, 9 a.m. to noon at the 鈥淎nimals in the Park鈥� event in Windmill Hill Park
- May 30, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center
- June 27, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Charles Houston Recreation Center
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