Farmers in New York might understand how ticks transmit disease. Farmworkers, especially H-2A workers, might not. Repost:
Author: Matt Solberg, National Center for Farmworker Health
Figure 1: Map from the NY Dept of Health showing which regions of the state have the highest risk of encountering infected black legged ticks. The Finger Lakes region, which has the highest population of seasonal workers for its apple industry, has the highest risk. See the map here.
New York averages about nine thousand cases of Lyme disease every year, and other serious tickborne diseases like anaplasmosis and babesiosis have also been increasing over the last ten years, according to NY Dept of Health data. As a New York farmer, tick safety is something you might understand well because of spending so much time outdoors. For your employees however, especially seasonal workers from other countries where tickborne diseases are less common, awareness of ticks and the risks they present may not be common knowledge.
A survey conducted by the National Center for Farmworker Health of immigrant farmworkers and other outdoor workers in New Jersey (a state with a high incidence of Lyme disease) showed that only 22% had heard of Lyme disease, and that more than half (58%) had not received any information from their employer about preventing tick bites and reducing tickborne disease risk. As the days get warmer and crews of seasonal workers are arriving to farms, agricultural employers can take a few simple steps to reduce their workforce’s risk of tickborne diseases:
Educate your employees about what parts of the farm are at higher risk for tick encounters.
- Ticks are found in tall grassy areas, brush piles, and other “edge areas” like where woods and pasture meet.
- Does part of your farm abut against woods? Are there stretches of grass that workers weed whack regularly? These are areas where workers are more likely to encounter ticks.
Encourage workers to check their bodies for ticks often.
Ticks need to be attached to a human for at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease. Other tickborne diseases can be transmitted in even less time.
- The NY Department of Health recommends checking your body periodically while outdoors and after you come inside if you’ve been in an area where ticks can be present.
- Workers should pay special attention to checking under their arms, around their hair and ears, around their joints, inside the belly button, and around their waist and groin. These are all areas where ticks like to attach.
- Get familiar with the size difference of ticks and determine the four life stages and their risks. Learn more here.
Train employees on how to safely remove ticks.
- Use tweezers to remove the tick by pulling directly upwards.
- Clean the area with rubbing alcohol and apply anti-bacterial cream/ointment
- Monitor bite mark for 30 days for rash or other symptoms of Lyme disease
- See this video for an example.
Educate about symptoms of Lyme disease and other diseases
Early symptoms of tickborne disease can include flu-like symptoms and rash. If you or an employee become ill following a tick bite, see a healthcare provider immediately.
Consider printing this tickborne disease poster (English) and placing it around commonly frequented areas such as restrooms, lunch areas. Also available in Spanish, Mam, and Haitian Creole.
Consider providing insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or IR 3535, and permethrin to treat clothing and gear.
- It’s one thing to encourage use of insect repellent, but putting it on in front of someone makes it a lot more likely that they’ll use it!
- Repellents containing these chemicals are extremely effective at preventing ticks from attaching to humans. This video that shows how well they work.
Familiarize yourself and your workers with healthcare providers in your area if they develop symptoms.
- See this map of Migrant Health Centers, which provide low-cost care to farmworkers and their families, including H-2A workers.
- Contact Call for Health, a nationwide toll-free, bilingual health information and referral service program for farmworkers and their families. Phone: 1 (800) 377-9968
Tickborne diseases are serious and are an increasing risk in New York state. By taking these small steps to raise awareness among your workforce, you can avoid potentially more significant problems in the future. Agricultural employers interested in training their workers about tickborne diseases, or any other health topics, can contact the National Center for Farmworker Health for assistance.
Additional resources:
New York State Integrated Pest Management Tick Resources
NYCAMH article on Ticks and Lyme Disease
______________________________________________________________________
By Richard Stup, Cornell University. Reposted: Matt Solberg, National Center for Farmworker Health
The post Talking to Your Workers About Ticks appeared in The Ag Workforce Journal.
