Lyme disease is carried by blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks. Ohioans dont need to panic, but the risk of Lyme disease in our state right now is real. Blacklegged ticks are present in all 88 Ohio counties, with some areas comparable to long-endemic regions like Connecticut.
Ticks are found in many places across the Region. For details on where blacklegged ticks are typically found, check the Ontario Vector-Borne Disease Tool. Always take precautions in wooded or bushy areas, or areas with tall grass, even if they are not identified as high risk areas on the map.
Ticks. Vector-Borne Diseases.Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia bacteria spread to people through blacklegged tick bites. Symptoms like fever and rash can be treated with antibiotics.
Tick-borne diseases in the region include Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, alpha-gal syndrome, tick paralysis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and tularemia. Prompt tick removal with fine-tipped tweezers is recommended...
How do tick-borne diseases spread? Ticks become infected when feeding on small infected mammals such as white-footed mice and voles. An infected tick can then infect a person through a tick bite. It is possible to be infected with more than one tick-borne disease at the same time.
As we can see from the illustration, Tick Borne Geriatric Disease has many fascinating aspects to explore.
Tick-borne Diseases, Part I: Lyme Disease.
