Tick season in Germany runs roughly from March to November, with activity peaking in the summer months.

Many Kaiserslautern Military Community residents are familiar with basic tick prevention measures. But some may not realize Public Health Command Europe offers disease screening and testing for ticks.

If you find a tick on yourself or a loved one, you can submit it through your military health clinic or provider for testing, according to Capt. Jordan Cornell, the command’s chief of entomology. Ticks found on pets can be submitted through military veterinary providers.

After testing, medical or veterinary providers will follow up to discuss results and next steps, if necessary. The tick does not need to be alive to be submitted.

The PHCE team tests ticks for several diseases depending on the species, including Lyme disease, the most prevalent tick-borne illness in the area.

However, a positive test in a tick does not necessarily mean transmission has occurred, Cornell said.

“Quick and early tick removal can aid in the prevention of disease transmission, so frequent tick checks after outdoor activities are essential,” Cornell told Stripes.

To remove a tick, use clean tweezers and pull as close to the skin as possible in a slow, steady motion, Cornell said. Avoid twisting or rocking the tick, as this can increase the chance of breaking the mouthparts.

Once removed, clean the wound with an antibiotic solution and submit the tick for testing.

K-Town News