Detecting ticks on light versus dark clothing
(2005) In Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 37(5). p.361-364- Abstract
- It is a common belief that ticks are more visible and easier to detect on light clothing in comparison with dark clothing. We studied which of the clothing, light or dark, had the least attractive effect on Ixodes ricinus, thus minimizing exposure and thereby in theory helping to prevent tick-borne diseases in humans. 10 participants, exposed by walking in tick endemic areas, wore alternately light and dark clothing before every new exposure. Nymphal and adult ticks on the clothing were collected and counted. In total, 886 nymphal ticks were collected. The overall mean in found ticks between both groups differed significantly, with 20.8 more ticks per person on light clothing. All participants had more ticks on light clothing in all... (More)
- It is a common belief that ticks are more visible and easier to detect on light clothing in comparison with dark clothing. We studied which of the clothing, light or dark, had the least attractive effect on Ixodes ricinus, thus minimizing exposure and thereby in theory helping to prevent tick-borne diseases in humans. 10 participants, exposed by walking in tick endemic areas, wore alternately light and dark clothing before every new exposure. Nymphal and adult ticks on the clothing were collected and counted. In total, 886 nymphal ticks were collected. The overall mean in found ticks between both groups differed significantly, with 20.8 more ticks per person on light clothing. All participants had more ticks on light clothing in all periods of exposure. Dark clothing seems to attract fewer ticks. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/243875
- author
- Stjernberg, Louise LU and Berglund, Johan LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2005
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
- volume
- 37
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 361 - 364
- publisher
- Informa Healthcare
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000228667700007
- pmid:16051573
- scopus:18844420309
- ISSN
- 1651-1980
- DOI
- 10.1080/00365540410021216
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7af3b57f-36b4-4273-bf12-1d47e7ab01b6 (old id 243875)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 16:10:28
- date last changed
- 2022-04-22 20:04:09
@article{7af3b57f-36b4-4273-bf12-1d47e7ab01b6,
abstract = {{It is a common belief that ticks are more visible and easier to detect on light clothing in comparison with dark clothing. We studied which of the clothing, light or dark, had the least attractive effect on Ixodes ricinus, thus minimizing exposure and thereby in theory helping to prevent tick-borne diseases in humans. 10 participants, exposed by walking in tick endemic areas, wore alternately light and dark clothing before every new exposure. Nymphal and adult ticks on the clothing were collected and counted. In total, 886 nymphal ticks were collected. The overall mean in found ticks between both groups differed significantly, with 20.8 more ticks per person on light clothing. All participants had more ticks on light clothing in all periods of exposure. Dark clothing seems to attract fewer ticks.}},
author = {{Stjernberg, Louise and Berglund, Johan}},
issn = {{1651-1980}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{5}},
pages = {{361--364}},
publisher = {{Informa Healthcare}},
series = {{Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases}},
title = {{Detecting ticks on light versus dark clothing}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00365540410021216}},
doi = {{10.1080/00365540410021216}},
volume = {{37}},
year = {{2005}},
}