Permethrin research has proven that spraying it on your clothing can make a difference in ticks attaching. A study was published in the Entomological Society of America’s Journal of Medical Entomology which specifies that a number of different species of ticks will fall off of your clothing after they have been exposed to this pesticide. Covering up with clothing is your first line of defense. Spraying the clothing with this pesticide provides an even greater protection from these diseases.
How bad is the issue associated with tick-borne diseases? According to federal authorities, such as the CDC, those diseases have been on the rise and have actually tripled between the years 2004 and 2016. The numbers may even be higher because these illnesses are underreported in many cases. The number of diseases in the United States associated with ticks, mosquitoes and fleas was over 640,000 in those 12 years. It is thought, however, that the number of cases of Lyme disease may be 10 times the reported amount because many of them are not reported to the CDC.
If that isn’t enough, there are even other diseases that can cause some rather severe problems, including the Powassan virus that is found throughout the Northeast, the upper Midwest and in California. Experts are blaming warmer weather and longer tick seasons, but regardless of why it is happening, avoiding the issue is your best option available.