Avoiding Tick and Chigger Bites

A sure sign summer is in full bloom is the nagging tick and chigger bites.

The Centers for Disease Control says the number of reported cases of Lyme Disease has more than doubled since 1991.  That illness is transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks and fleas.

In Missouri, those numbers are much lower.  But earlier this month, an 8-year-old girl in the northeastern part of the state died from a tick-borne illness.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department says those diseases aren't usually spread if the tick is removed with a tweezers within 24 hours.

"Once you've removed the tick, flush it down the toilet.  Don't crush it because then you expose yourself to the insect’s body fluids that carry disease." says Jaci McReynolds, spokesperson for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department.

As for chiggers, McReynolds says the small parasites that feed on your skin are much easier to remove.  They'll usually fall off in the shower with hot water and soap.