GRAYSON COUNTY, Ky. - Some areas of Kentucky are seeing a rise in the tickborne illness, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. 

There were 26 reported cases in Grayson County from July 7 to July 17. There have been 44 reported cases in the county so far this year. As a comparison, there were only eight reported cases in the county the entire year of 2018.

Now, the Grayson County Health Department is warning the public about the uptick.

“Some of the medical providers in our county actually reached out to us and said we have got to do something about awareness and prevention,” Grayson County Health Department nurse Rebekah Lee said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, signs and symptoms include:

Early illness (days 1-4)

  • Fever

  • Headache

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, anorexia)

  • Abdominal pain (may mimic appendicitis or other causes of acute abdominal pain)

  • Myalgia

  • Rash (typically occurs 2-4 days after the onset of fever)

  • Edema around the eyes and on the back of hands

Late illness (day 5 or later)

  • Altered mental status, coma, cerebral edema

  • Respiratory compromise (pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress syndrome)

  • Necrosis, often requiring amputation

 

  • Multiorgan system damage (CNS, renal failure)

Dr. Bryce Meredith with the Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center said the earlier you spot and remove the tick, the better.

"Typically if they remove a tick within 24 to 48 hours, it can reduce the risk for tickborne illness," Meredith said.

The best way to prevent Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is to avoid tick bites. Suggestions for doing so include wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors, tucking pants into shoes and wearing bug repellent. THe CDC also suggests showering soon after coming inside.

When you come inside, you should check your body for ticks. Common areas ticks hide are:

  • In and around the hair
  • In and around ears
  • Under the arms
  • Inside the belly button
  • Around the waist
  • Between the legs
  • Back of the knees

Pets can also get ticks and bring them into your home. That's why it's also important to check your animals. You should check for pets on your dog:

  • In and around the ears
  • Around the eyelids
  • Under the collar
  • Around the tail
  • Under the front legs
  • Between the back legs
  • Between the toes

Grayson County Health Department officials said they have not been able to identify any patterns about who got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and where they had been. We do not have exact numbers for other areas, but they say a regional disease expert has reported increasing cases in some of the other surrounding counties.

If you face any of those signs or symptoms and have been in areas where ticks are prevalent, see a doctor.