Method of removing ticks from the skin and reducing the risk of bites

Continuation of Ser. No. 11/512,555, filed Aug. 29, 2006, the priority of which is claimed.

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to compositions, articles containing compositions, and methods of use of the compositions, for rapid and efficacious removal of ticks (Arthropods) attached to a mammal.

2. Related Art

Ticks have life cycles starting with eggs produced by adult females. These hatch and progress to larvae, nymphs, and adults. With Lyme disease, the bite of the nymph offers the greatest risks to humans and animals and that of the adult less so. The disease causing pathogen of Lyme disease is found in the gut of the blacklegged ticks where it remains inactive until warm blood enters the gut and enables it to grow and then move to the mouth of the tick. This process takes anywhere from 24 to 36 hours. Other tick-borne disease pathogens have even shorter growth periods. The soft-shelled tick, Ornithodoros hermsi that causes Relapsing Fever requires only one hour or less to be available for infection at the bite site. Hauser, Susan Carol, 2001, in “Outwitting Ticks”, The Lyons Press, Connecticut, presents an extensive survey of the role of ticks in human and animal diseases, their description, location, prevention and treatment. The conclusion of this author and all health authorities is that embedded ticks of all types should be removed as quickly as possible. In the case of Lyme disease the tick should be removed before 24 hours after the time of attachment. This process is not always so simple.

Various household methods currently attempt to remove ticks ranging from applying heat or various chemical compositions. However, these household remedies may not be safe due to the potential danger of burning skin when applying heat or because many of the chemicals can be unhealthy and adversely react with human skin causing irritations or rashes.

Others have attempted to create less dangerous methods for removing ticks. For example Bale, U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,717 discloses an aerosol coolant spray for killing and removing ticks comprising a coolant spray and essential oil. However, using aerosol canisters are undesirable due to the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere that may cause pollution and depletion of the Earth\'s ozone layer. Other alternatives include using specially formulated shampoos that are safer for human and animal use such as those disclosed in Holzer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,683,065 and Bowman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,434. However, these methods may not be as effective at removing ticks due to the dilution of the effective chemicals.

It is, in general, an object of the invention to provide a new and improved composition and method for removing ticks from the skin of subjects such as humans and other animals and reducing the risk of tick bites.

Another object of the invention is to provide a composition and method of the above character which overcome the limitations and disadvantages of methods herefore employed in the removal of ticks.

These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the invention by applying a composition containing salicylic acid and an astringent to a tick and/or to a subject near the tick in an amount sufficient to disengage the tick from the subject. The salicylic acid and the astringent are applied in amounts sufficient to render ineffective cementitious substances secreted by ticks to attach themselves to the skin and to constrict blood vessels near the skin and thereby keep blood away from the skin where ticks might feed upon it. In some embodiments, the composition is applied to the skin before a tick has attached itself to a subject to prevent ticks from attaching themselves to and biting the subject.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All publications and patents referred to herein are incorporated by reference.

Tick insects are arthropods related to spiders, mites and fleas. There are a variety of ticks found throughout the world and they are dependent on animal and human hosts for survival. They are also excellent hosts in turn to many microbial pathogens including bacteria and viruses that are responsible for many diseases of humans and animals.

In the United States Lyme disease now account for more than 95 percent of all reported tick vector borne illnesses. In endemic areas 3 percent or more of the population experience the disease. Between 1982 and 2001 there has been a 25 fold increase in the incidence of Lyme disease in humans and the rate of disease progression and geographical area are increasing.

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that is carried and supported by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, in Eastern and upper Midwestern United States. On the West Coast of the United States the blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus is involved in the cause of Lyme disease. In Europe and Asia the blacklegged ticks that serve as host carriers for Borrelia burgdorferi and cause Lyme disease are Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus, respectively. Lyme disease is a multisystem infection caused generally by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, a spirochete that can infect both humans and different animals.

Another spirochete that causes the disease, syphilis, does not require a tick transmission host but infects human to human. Lyme disease has a well-established infection pathway involving compatible host reservoirs such as mice and deer. As an essential vector blacklegged ticks transport the infectious bacterium from mice to humans.