♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> THOUGH I SEE FEWER INSECTS NOW THAN IN YEARS PAST, THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE CONCERN ABOUT ARTHROPOD BORN DISEASES.

STAY WITH US AS WE TALK WENT NOT GIST Dr. SUBBA REDDY PALLI AND FIND OUT IF I'M RIGHT AND EXACTLY WHAT IS AN ARTHROPOD NEXT ON KENTUCKY HEALTH.

IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE IDALIA WE ALL SAW AND APPRECIATED THE DISRUPTION OF NORMAL LIFESTYLES AND THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP EXACTED UPON THE RESIDENTS OF THE GULF COAST.

HOWEVER, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS AWARE OF THE IMPACT UPON ANIMALS AND INSECTS SUCH AS THE DISPLACEMENT OF FLAMINGOS WAY BEYOND THEIR NORMAL HABITAT OF FLORIDA AS FAR NORTH AS OHIO.

WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MOVEMENT OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PLANTS, MICROBES AND INSECTS EITHER SURREPTITIOUSLY BY HITCHING RIDES ON BOATS AND PLANES OR THROUGH INTENTIONAL AND RECKLESS HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

NOW WE MUST ADD CLIMATE CHANGE AND STORMS SUCH AS IDALIA AS BOTH A VEHICLE AND STIMULUS FOR MOVEMENT.

INSECTS ARE BEING DISPLACED BY CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS, HABITAT ENCROACHMENT AND OTHER HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN HUMAN ACTIVITY UPON THE INSECT WORLD BRINGS US TO TODAY'S TOPIC.

TRAINS, PLANES AND CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE IMPACTED ON ARTHROPOD-BORN DISEASES.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS Dr. SUBBA REDDY PALLI, HE EARNED HIS Ph.D. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO IN LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY POST DOCTORAL WORK WITH THE LATE Dr. MICHAEL LOCK ON BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE BIOLOGY OF INSECT EPIDERMAL AND FAT BODY CELLS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO.

HE IS CURRENTLY A PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY AND CO-DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR ARTHROPOD PEST MANAGEMENT.

READY Dr. SUBBA REDDY PALLI, WELCOME TO KENTUCKY HEALTH.

HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR.

>> VERY WELL.

THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO THIS PROGRAM.

GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> IT'S ALWAYS GOOD WHEN WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE COME ON AND TALK ABOUT BUGS, THE THINGS THAT SOMEHOW MOST OF US DON'T BOTHER TO LOOK DOWN AND PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO.

HOW DID YOU GET ENT INTERESTED THIS THAT IS THIS.

>> I GREW UP ON A FARM IN INDIA, SO MY FATHER IS A FARMER AND HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF INSECT PESTS AND A LOT OF LOSSES BECAUSE OF INSECTS.

GOING TO THE FARM FROM EARLY DAYS, I DEVELOPED INTEREST IN BUGS.

>> THAT WILL DO IT.

WHICH BRINGS TO MY MIND, SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ARTHROPOD, A BUG AND AN INSECT?

>> SO BUG AND INSECT ARE SAME.

PEOPLE CALL BUG, A LOT OF PEOPLE CALL ANY INSECT A BUG.

BUT THE TRUE BUGS ARE ONE GROUP OF INSECTS THAT BELONG TO A FAMILY BUT IN THE VERNACULAR, PEOPLE CALL ANY INSECT A BUG.

THE ARTHROPOD IS INCLUDES A LOT OF THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARACHNIDS, SPIDERS, TICKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> WELL, OKAY.

ARE WE SEEING A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF INSECTS, AND IF IT'S OKAY, I'M GOING TO SAY INSECTS FOR THE REST OF THE SHOW.

HAVE WE SEEN A DROP IN THE NUMBERS?

>> SO, THERE IS A DEFINITE EVIDENCE THAT A LOT OF RESEARCH IS POINTING OUT TO DROP IN BOTH ABUNDANCE AND NUMBER OF INSECT SPECIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE ARE-- THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL KEY PUBLICATIONS IN JOURNALS DOCUMENTING THAT THERE IS A DECREASE IN BOTH ABUNDANCE AND THE NUMBER OF INSECT SPECIES AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE LOSING DIVERSITY BIO DIVERSITY OF INSECTS, THERE IS ALSO INCREASE IN SOME INSECTS, ESPECIALLY IN 10 PRATT-- TEMPERATE AREAS, ESPECIALLY DISEASE SECTORS.

>> IS THIS BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE OR DO SOME OF THE OTHER HUMAN BEHAVIOR SUCH AS PESTICIDE USE AND HABITAT AFFECT THESE THINGS?

>> YEAH, AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACTORS.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ONE OF THEM AND HABITAT MANIPULATION, MAKING THESE WOODED AREAS INTO RESIDENTIAL AREAS AS WELL AS FARMING AREAS IS ALSO CAUSING THIS.

AND THERE ARE OTHERS ALSO, LIKE GLOBAL INCREASED TRAVEL IS CONTRIBUTING TO IT.

AND PESTICIDE USE IS ONE OF THE DEFINITE FACTORS AFFECTING.

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LOOK AT THE CHANGES, THERE COULD BE MULTIPLE FACTORS PLAYING A ROLE.

>> ARE WE SEEING MORE OF THE SO CALLED BAD BUGS SURVIVING THESE THINGS AS OPPOSED TO, IF ONE MIGHT SAY THE GOOD BUGS?

>> NOT NECESSARILY.

THERE IS-- THESE CONDITIONS DON'T DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN BAD BUGS AND GOOD BUGS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, AS THE TEMPERATURES CHANGE, THE PHYSIOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, BEHAVIOR AND LIFE HISTORY OF INSECT CHANGE.

THE INSECTS THAT CAN ADAPT TO THESE CHANGES CONDITIONS THRIVE BETTER.

THE ONES THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO COPE UP WITH THESE CONDITIONS, DO NOT DO SO WELL AND EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR.

>> OKAY.

SO, YOU COULD YOU TELL ME WHICH INSECTS OUT THERE ARE THE ONES THAT CAUSE THE MOST TROUBLE?

I TEND TO THINK ABOUT THE TICKS AND MOSQUITOES AND IF SO, IS ONE OF THEM MORE OF A PROBLEM FOR US THAN THE OTHER?

>> AS FAR AS PUBLIC HEALTH IS CONCERNED, THE FACTORS THAT CARRY PATHOGENS THAT CAUSE HUMAN AND AN AL ALAN MALAND PLANT DISEASES ARE OF MOST IMPORTANT CONCERN FOR US.

AND NOW, IN THE UNITED STATES, TICKS HAVE BECOME A HUGE PROBLEM , MAJORITY OF DISEASES TRANSMITTED BY ARTHROPOD VECTORS IN THE U.S. ARE BY TICKS.

I'M NOT DISCOUNTING MOSQUITOES.

MOSQUITOES ALSO CAN TRANSMIT DISEASES.

AND THE RECORDING OF CASES IN THREE SOUTHERN STATES FOR MALARIA AND FOR DENGO IN FLORIDA SHOW THAT MOSQUITOES CAN DO QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE TO HUMAN HEALTH.

BUT TICKS HAVE BECOME MORE PREVALENT IN MOST OF THE UNITED STATES AND PEOPLE ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH TICK-BORN DISEASES, FOR EXAMPLE, LYME DISEASE.

>> WELL, LET'S FINISH UP WITH THE MOSQUITO FIRST.

YOU MADE AN INTERESTING POINT.

WE HAVE HAD SOME CASES OF MALARIA.

NOW WITH THESE CASES THAT PATIENTS CAME INTO THE UNITED STATES OR DID THEY GET INFECTED BY A MOSQUITO IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> THE LATTER.

ACTUALLY WE HAVE RECORDED CASES COMING FROM OUTSIDE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

THE NEW RECORDS ARE THE TRANSMISSION OCCURRING IN THE UNITED STATES.

IN FLORIDA, IN TEXAS, MARYLAND, STATES LIKE THAT.

>> WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT WEST NILE VALLEY SYNDROME DISEASE.

WHAT IS THAT?

>> SO WEST NILE VIRUS IS AN INSECT-BORN VIRUS THAT CAN INFECT BOTH PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AND CAUSE DISEASE, WEST NILE FEVER.

AND STATES LIKE KENTUCKY EXPERIENCED QUITE A BIT OF THIS A FEW YEARS AGO.

NOW IT IS KIND OF LOW.

BUT IT CAN COME BACK ANY TIME.

THE POPULATION OF BIRDS AND MOSQUITOES PLAY A KEY ROLE IN TRANSMITTING THIS PATHOGEN.

WE CONTINUOUSLY SURVEY FOR THESE PATHOGENS AND VECTORS SO WE CAN FORECAST WHEN AND WHERE THESE DISEASES COULD OUTBREAK AND SO WE CAN PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.

>> SO HELP US UNDERSTAND BETTER.

WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF A MOSQUITO?

AND HOW LONG DO THEY SURVIVE?

>> SO IT DEPENDS ON THE MOSQUITO.

WE TALK ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF AN INSECT CAN VARY A LOT, DEPENDING ON WHAT TEMPERATURE THEY'RE GROWING IN, WHAT OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE THERE.

IN GENERAL, LET'S SAY IN KENTUCKY, IT TAKES ABOUT A MONTH STARTING FROM THE ADULT FEMALES LAYING EGGS, THESE EGGS HATCH AND BECOME LARVAE, THE LARVAE BREED AND SWIM IN THE STREAMS AND BREED ON THE OTHER ANIMALS AND FEED ON THE OTHER ANIMALS IN THE STREAMS AS A FOOD SOURCE.

THEY GROW AND BECOME PUPI, AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE ADULTS.

WHEN THEY COME OUT, THEY LIVE A FEW WEEKS.

MOST OF THE CASES ONLY FEMALE MOSQUITOES CAN BITE HUMANS AND TAKE A BLOOD MEAL AND TRANSMIT DISEASES.

SO WE HAVE TO #-B-- WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH FEMALE MOSQUITOES.

>> WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MALES?

THEY DON'T DO ANY BITING OR THEY EAT OTHER THINGS?

>> THEY CAN FEED ON NECTAR AND OTHER SOURCES OF CARBOHYDRATES.

THEY MATE WITH FEMALES AND FEMALES ARE PRODUCED SO THAT IS THE ROLE MALES PLAY.

WE ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH THE MOSQUITOES THAT TRANSMIT DENGO, YELLOW FEVER, MALARIA.

MOST OF THESE CASES WE ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH FEMALES.

>> THERE IS A PLAY THAT IS STARTING HERE IN LOUISVILLE, AND IT'S LOOKING AT THE OLD DRACULA STORY FROM A FEMALE PERSPECTIVE.

MAYBE IT'S A FEMALE DOING THE DIRECTING.

[LAUGHTER] I HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT LIKE THAT.

WE OFTEN TIMES HEAR THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE STANDING WATER AROUND.

WHY-- NEAR OUR HOUSES.

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

>> THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE MOST MOSQUITOES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, THAT TRANSMIT DEADLY DISEASES BREED IN THOSE STANDING WATER.

SO THE FEMALES GO AND LAY EGGS ON THE STANDING WATER.

THE EGGS HATCH AND THE LARVAE SWIM IN THE WATERS AND EAT THE MATERIAL, ORGANIC MATERIAL FROM THOSE LITTLE STANDING WATER.

SO WE CAN KIND OF BREED MOSQUITO POPULATIONS BY HAVING THIS WATER STAG STAGNATE.

THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

A LOT OF MOSQUITO PROBLEMS ARE THERE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A GOOD CLOSED SANITATION SYSTEM AND THE OPEN SANITATION DRAINS, THE MOSQUITOES BREED LIKE CRAZY.

AND THEN THE ADULTS COME OUT AND THEY BITE US AND IN THE PROCESS, THEY CAN TRANSMIT THESE PATHOGENS.

>> I WAS JUST WITH SOME FAMILY MEMBERS BACK IN MY WIFE'S HOMETOWN IN RURAL SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, AND WHILE EVERYONE WAS TALKING, THEY REMINISCED ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN THE MOSQUITO TRUCK, THE TRUCK BLOWING THE PESTICIDES TO KILL THE MOSQUITOES WOULD RIDE BY.

WE DON'T DO THAT MUCH ANYMORE, OR DO WE?

THEY MENTIONED EVEN BEING RUN AGO LONG WITH THE TRUCK GETTING THE SWEET SMELL OF WHAT THE DEET I GUESS IT WAS.

>> THAT IS MAYBE A SWEET SMELL BUT IT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS TO OUR HEALTH.

[LAUGHTER] >> IN MOST CASES-- >> THAT MAY EXPLAIN A LOT.

>> THEY DO THAT IN SOME PLACES, EVEN NOW IF THEY SEE A LOT OF MOSQUITO POPULATION BEFORE DAWN A TRUCK MIGHT COME OFF WITH SPRAY MOUNTER AND FOG THE AREA.

THEY ARE NOT ONLY TOXIC TO MOSQUITOES, BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE HARMFUL TO, IF WE INHALE THEM OR INGEST THEM, ESPECIALLY YUCK CHILDREN YOUNG CHILDREN.

EVERYBODY, BUT MORE CHILDREN ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THESE CHEMICALS.

SO, AS A RESULT, THERE IS A DISCOURAGEMENT IN USING THESE CHEMICALS.

INSTEAD, WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OTHER WAYS OF CONTROLLING THESE MOSQUITOES.

USING MODERN METHODS.

>> LET'S GO NOW TO WHAT YOU SAID IS A BIGGER PROBLEM.

THAT WOULD BE TICKS.

SO WHAT IS THE NORMAL OR TYPICAL LIFESPAN AND LIFE CYCLE FOR A TICK?

>> IT IS SIMILAR TO MOSQUITOES EXCEPT THEY ARE CALLED EGGS, THE FEMALES LAY EGGS AND THEN WE GET LARVAE HATCHED FROM THE EGGS.

AND THEY GROW AND BECOME NY PL PHS AND THEY BECOME ADULTS AND THE LIFE CYCLE GOES THROUGH IN MOST TICKS THEY HAVE TO TAKE A BLOOD MEAL BEFORE THEY GO FROM ONE STAGE TO THE NEXT STAGE.

SO IF-- THEY CAN LIVE VERY LONG, UNLIKE MOSQUITOES, MONTHS AND MONTHS; EVEN A YEAR.

WITHOUT A BLOOD MEAL, THEY SIT THERE WAITING FOR A HOST TO TAKE BLOOD MEAL.

WHEN THEY FIND A HOST, THEY LATCH ON AND TAKE BLOOD AND GO TO THE NEXT STAGE.

AS THIS TICK COMES ON AND STAYS ON US, IT TAKES BLOOD AND IN THE PROCESS, IT CAN TRANSMIT PATHOGENS THEY HAVE.

NOW, UNLIKE MOSQUITOES, THE TICK BITE TAKES LONGER.

THEY DON'T SUCK BLOOD QUICKLY.

THEY HAVE TO BE ON YOU FOR HOURS , IF NOT DAYS BEFORE THEY TAKE FULL BLOOD MEAL AND TRANSMITT THESE PATHOGENS.

SO ONE GOOD GRACE WITH TICKS IS YOU HAVE SOME TIME.

IF YOU GO OUT, BETTER TO CHECK YOURSELF RIGHT AWAY AND IF YOU FIND SOME TICKS AND CAREFULLY TAKE THEM OFF YOU, THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF THEM TRANSMITTING PATHOGENS TO YOU ARE VERY LOW.

>> THERE IS A SEASON FOR TICKS?

WE ALL THINK IT'S THE SUMMERTIME BUT WHEN THE WEATHER IS COOLER, ARE THE TICKS OUT, TOO?

>> THEY'RE MORE PREVALENT DURING SUMMER MONTHS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GO OUT FOR A HIKE AND ALL ON THE WARM DAYS.

DEPENDING ON THE TICKS, TICK SPECIES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WE HAVE BEEN SURVEYING TICKS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WE CAN FIND TICKS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN KENTUCKY.

BUT DEPENDING ON THE MONTH YOU SURVEY, YOU FIND ADULTS, YOU FIND LARVAE, NYMPHS AND EVEN THE SPECIES OF TICK YOU FIND VARIES WITH OUTSIDE CONDITIONS.

I WOULD SAY FROM MAY TO SEPTEMBER IS THE PEAK MONTHS FOR GETTING ADULT BITES ON PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSIDE AND OUR SURVEYS LAST THREE YEARS SHOW THE MOST ABUNDANT TICK IN KENTUCKY IS LONE STAR TICK.

IT'S VERY EASY TO IDENTIFY.

YOU WILL SEE A STAR ON THE DORSAL SIDE OF THE TICK.

THESE TICKS, WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT PROPORTION OF THESE TICKS CONTAIN PATHOGENS BASED USING SOME NUCLIC TECHNIQUES.

NOT MANY.

ONLY ABOUT 10% OR SO CARRY THE PATHOGEN.

AND SO WHEN YOU GET A-- OR FIND A TICK ON YOU, DON'T GET FREAKED OUT.

THE CHANCES OF THIS INJECTING A PATHOGEN INTO YOU IS NOT THAT HIGH.

>> DON'T GET TICKED OFF, HUH?

[LAUGHTER] THAT'S THE OFFICIAL TERM.

ALL RIGHT.

SO SINCE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LONE STAR.

WHAT IS THE DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LONE STAR TICK?

>> SO LONE STAR TICKS CARRY A PATHOGEN THAT CAUSES WHAT IS CALLED-- I'M NOT A DOCTOR BUT IT CAN LEAD TO SEVERE CONDITIONS AND FATALITIES IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE-- IN RARE CASES.

BUT ONLY 10% ARE SO OF THE LONESTAR TICKS CARRY PATHOGENS BUT THE LONE STAR TICK BITES CAUSE AN IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE WHAT TICKS INJECT INTO HUMANS.

THAT IS OF MOST CONCERN BECAUSE NOW PEOPLE HAVE A CHANCE OF DEVELOPING THIS RED MEAT ALLERGY IF THEY GET BITTEN BY TICKS A FEW TIMES.

>> AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL HEAR THE ALPHA GAL SYNDROME.

>> YEAH THAT'S THE LONE STAR TICK THAT GIVES US THAT ONE.

WHAT ABOUT LYME DISEASE THEN?

HOW COMMON IS THAT?

WHAT TICK GIVES US THAT ONE?

>> SO LYME DISEASE IS PREVALENT IN SOME STATES, ESPECIALLY EASTERN UNITED STATES.

AND DEER TICKLES KNOWN AS BLACK LEGGED TICK CARRIES THE PATHOGEN THAT CAUSES LYME DISEASE.

IN KENTUCKY, ONLY ABOUT 10 TO 20% OF TICKS WE CATCH ARE DEER TICKS, BLACK LEGGED TICKS AND ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION OF THEM CONTAIN THESE PATHOGEN FOR LYME DISEASE.

SO IN KENTUCKY, THE CHANCES OF GETTING LYME DISEASE FROM TICK BITES IS NOT THAT HIGH.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.

WHEN WE GET CALLS FROM THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT LYME DISEASE BECAUSE THAT'S, FOR VALID REASONS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THAT IS A CHRONIC DISEASE, CAN CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS ONCE THE PATHOGEN IS IN YOU.

BUT IN KENTUCKY, WE DON'T FIND MANY TICKS THAT CARRY LYME DISEASE PATHOGEN AND EVEN THE TICKS THAT WE FIND DON'T HAVE THE PATHOGEN THAT PREVALENTLY.

SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY, BUT IT'S NOT VERY HIGH.

>> SO WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON TICK-BORN DISEASE THAT WE RUN INTO HERE IN KENTUCKY?

>> SO THERE ARE PROBABLY THREE DISEASES WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH, WHICH IS ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEVER COMPLEX.

THERE IS A PATHOGEN THAT CAN CAUSE FEVERS THAT ARE ALL GROUPED TOGETHER, ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEVER.

LIKUOSIS IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THOSE LONESTAR TICKS IN KENTUCKY AND THEN LYME DISEASE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO TO PREVENT US AINQUIRING A TICK IN TERMS OF CHEMICALS WE MAY WANT TO APPLY TO OURSELVES AND EVEN CLOTHING AND THINGS.

>> SO THERE ARE SEVERAL PREVENTIVE MEASURES ONE COULD TAKE WHEN THEY GO OUT INTO THE WOODS SO THAT THEY WON'T GET TICKS ON THEM.

DRESSING WELL WITH SOCKS COVERING YOUR PANTS, AND COVERING YOUR SKIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

THERE ARE ALSO SOCKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ONE COULD USE THOSE.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DON'T WALK INTO THESE AREAS THAT CONTAIN LEAFS, THAT'S WHERE THE TICKS ARE, THEY HIDE IN THE LEAFS.

WALK ON THE PATH, DON'T GO INTO THE LEVY AREAS, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU CAN AVOID THEM.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE DONE, WHEN YOU COME HOME, PLEASE CHECK YOURSELF THOROUGHLY AND IF THERE ARE ANY TICKS, REMOVE THEM CAREFULLY USING TWEEZERS.

DOING THESE SIMPLE THINGS, BECAUSE, AS I SAID, TICK HAS TO BE ON YOU FOR A WHILE BEFORE THE THEY TAKE YOUR BLOOD AND GIVE YOU PATHOGEN.

IF YOU ARE ABLE TO FIND THEM AND TAKE THEM OFF, THE CHANCES OF GETTING THESE PATHOGENS ARE VERY LOW.

>> WHEN YOU SAY REMOVE A TICK CAREFULLY, SO WHAT IS YOUR TECHNIQUE THAT YOU RECOMMEND FOR REMOVING THEM WITH TWEEZERS?

>> SO YOU DON'T WANT TO REMOVE CATCHING THE BACK END OF THE TICK.

YOU MAY BREAK SOME OF THE MOUTH PARTS AND LEAVE THEM IN YOU SO YOU WANT TO CAREFULLY CATCH THE HEAD PART OF THE TICK WITH TWEEZERS AND TAKE IT OUT SO THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE TO GET ALL THE MOUTH PARTS AND EVERYTHING OUT OF YOU.

YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYTHING THERE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN, SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET RASHES ON THEIR SKIN WHEN THEY ARE TICK BITES.

THEN IT'S ADVISABLE TO GO SEE THE PHYSICIAN.

THEY CAN GIVE YOU TREATMENTS.

IF THEY SUSPECT THE DEER TICK BITES ARE THERE ON YOU FOR LONGER, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO GO TO SEE DOCTOR, MAYBE TAKE A PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTIC SO THAT THE PATHOGEN LEVELS ARE VERY, VERY LOW IN THE BEGINNING.

IF THEY GET A DOSE AT THAT TIME, THEY CAN ELIMINATE THOSE PATHOGENS FROM THE SYSTEM.

>> SO, IN YOUR OPINION, FROM WHAT WE SEE WITH CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS, WE ARE HAVING LONGER PERIODS WHERE THINGS ARE WARM TO HOT AND IN SOME AREAS EVEN DRYER, ARE WE GOING TO SEE MORE PROBLEMS WITH STICKS AND POSSIBLY EVEN MOSQUITOES DOWN THE ROAD?

OR DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO STAY STAGNANT?

>> THE PREDICTIONS FROM THE EXPERTS IS THAT WITH THE WEATHER GETTING WARMER AND WARMER, THE TEMPERATE AREAS OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, WILL SEE MORE AND MORE OF THESE DISEASE VECTORS.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH GOING ON IN THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD, TRYING TO COME UP WITH MEASURES TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.

SO WE DO NOT REALLY TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THIS POPULATION.

THERE ARE SOME METHODS BEING DEVELOPED FOR AREA WIDE MANAGEMENT SO WE CAN REDUCE THE POPULATIONS OF THESE DISEASE VECTORS SO WHEN PEOPLE GO OUT, THE CHANCES OF THEM GETTING ON TO HUMAN BEINGS GETS LOWER AND LOWER.

>> BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE MORE WE WANT TO GO OUT HIKE AGO LONG THE TRAILS AND EVERYTHING, WE ARE GOING TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THESE THINGS.

>> YEAH, WE WILL, BUT ONE COULD TAKE MEASURES SO THE CHANCES OF THEM GETTING ON YOU ARE MUCH LOWER.

>> SO AGAIN THAT COMES DOWN TO PERHAPS USING SOME OF THE CREAMS AND SPRAYS, KEEPING OUR BODY COVERED FOR AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YOU CAN USE SOME REPELLANTS LIKE PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN DEET, SPRAY IT ON YOU, COVER YOURSELF AND WALK ON THE PAVED TRAILS AND WHEN YOU COME BACK, REMOVE THE TICKS AND CHECK YOURSELF CAREFULLY.

>> WELL, DOCTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'VE ENJOYED TALKING TO YOU AND I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START LEARNING HOW TO LIVE BETTER WITH THESE ORGANISMS.

I I HOPE THAT YOU ALSO OUT THERE HAVE HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OR AT LEAST CAN, THIS DISCUSSION CAN LEAD TO SOME GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS ABOUT HOW HUMAN BEHAVIOR PURPOSELY OR INADVERTENTLY IMPACTS THE UNSECT WORLD AND HOW THIS IN TURN CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT US.

IF YOU WISH TO WATCH THIS SHOW AGAIN OR WATCH AN ARCHIVED VERSION OF PAST SHOWS, PLEASE GO TO WWW.ket.org/HEALTH.

IF HAVE YOU A QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS, WE CAN BE REACHED AT KYHEALTH AT ket.org OR CALL THE COMMON LINE MENTIONED AT THE END OF THE SEGMENT AND REACH OUT TO SUBBA REDDY PALLI AT THE ENTOMOLOGY DEPARTMENT I'LL SEE YOU NEXT.