The first involved studying the impact of a process known as “prescribed fire” on the risk of tick-borne disease, which was published in the July 10, 2019, edition of Scientific Reports. ![]() Over the past 18 months, Gleim has been involved with two major research projects. “I get to do both lab work and field work, so there’s a lot of variety that I really enjoy.” It’s also been wonderful in terms of offering a wide array of research opportunities to Hollins students.” Gleim’s interest in tick research began in graduate school. “One of the first things that drew me to this discipline is the fact that I get to do both lab and field work, so there’s a lot of variety that I really enjoy. Gleim’s passion for her work has remained constant. The other piece is trying to better understand anthropogenic drivers, which is how humans are affecting tick-borne disease risk with their actions or behaviors, and then understanding environmental drivers of disease risk, which can include changes in weather, forest management practices, wildlife population changes, and other factors.” I also do a lot of work in vector and disease dynamics, which can vary dramatically based on the ecosystem or the region of the country, and even just from year to year. “The first is identifying ways to better control and prevent tick-borne diseases, especially in the human population but also in domestic animals. “There are three main areas on which my research questions focus,” she explained. at the University of Georgia, Gleim, who is also a Hollins alumna (class of 2006), has investigated tick-borne diseases. But a lot of people at Hollins and beyond who are familiar with her work simply know her as the “Tick Lady.”Įver since she was pursuing her Ph.D. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body.Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Elizabeth Gleim is a disease ecologist whose research centers on the study of zoonotic diseases (those that can be directly transmitted between animals and humans) and vector-borne diseases (infections that require transmission through vectors such as ticks or mosquitoes). Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check.Ĩ.) Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine animals, coats and backpacks.ħ.) Shower soon after being outdoors. Cold and medium temperature water will not kill ticks.Ħ.) Examine gear and pets. If the clothes require washing first, hot water is recommended. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. ![]() Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. Any ticks that are found should be removed. Ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. It’s easier to see ticks when they are crawling on light-colored clothes.ĥ.) Check your clothes for ticks. Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants so ticks don’t have easy access to your skin. Use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, 2-undecanone, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD).Ĥ.) Wear long, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Repellents can be applied to exposed skin and clothing to help repel ticks. Follow the label instructions.ģ.) Use a repellent. It can be purchased from the outdoors section of several retailers. ![]() Clothing can be treated with permethrin, an insecticide that repels and kills ticks. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood.Ģ.) Use permethrin on clothing. Spending time outside walking your dog, camping, gardening, fishing or hunting could bring you in close contact with ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals. Here’s what you can do to prevent tick bites and avoid getting sick from the bite of a tick.ġ.) Know where to find ticks.
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