Ticks in Ohio
According to The Ohio State Extension Service in Union County, the tick population in Ohio is expanding and new species are present. Tick-borne illness may be serious but can be avoided by preventive action or treated by your health professional.
Here is some of what you need to know:
Tick-borne illnesses can be contracted at almost any season. Ticks perch on the ends of grasses or other plants and latch onto a passing host. They make their way to exposed skin and burrow into the host for their blood meal.
Avoid ticks by spraying clothing with permethrin or 20% -30% DEET. Examine yourself and your pet for ticks if you have been where ticks may be present. Ticks that have burrowed into the skin may be removed with tweezers applied as close to the skin as possible. Tick testing will confirm presence or absence of a disease potential.
Here are the two main tick-borne diseases that are predicted to be problematic in the Fifth National Climate Assessment. As always, check with your healthcare provider for advice:
Lyme Disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. A bull’s eye rash may be seen early in the course of the disease. Prompt treatment with antibiotics is usually curative. A huge variety of signs and symptoms may occur in the later stages of the infection. Over the past 13 years there has been a 35-fold increase in Lyme disease in Ohio. Treatment with antibiotics is usually curative. It is transmitted by the Blacklegged Tick (aka the Deer Tick).
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). RMSF is a severe, potentially fatal disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. It can be treated with antibiotics. It is transmitted by Brown Dog Ticks, Asian Longhorned Ticks and the American Dog Tick.
A relatively new disease: Bites by the Lone Star Tick may cause the Alpha-gal-syndrome known as red meat allergy. It is an immunologically mediated condition that may be serious and life-threatening. Supportive care and avoiding meat and meat products are the only effective management strategies.