News

Oct 23, 2017

Summit County Public Health (SCPH) would like to take the opportunity to remind Summit County residents to take precautions to avoid tick bites. Although the weather is getting colder, ticks are still very active in Ohio. Ticks can carry a variety of diseases, the most common in Ohio being Lyme disease. Anytime they are in nature, Summit County residents should take precautions to prevent tick bites that carry diseases. So far in 2017, the Ohio Department of Health has reported 241 cases of Lyme disease in 60 counties across Ohio and there have been 26 Lyme disease cases reported in Summit County residents. Take these simple precautions when you are outdoors to protect you and your family from ticks:

• Walk in the center of trails to avoid brushing up against ticks.
• Apply bug repellant with DEET to everyone in your party,including pets.
• Tuck your pant legs into your boots or socks.
• Shower immediately after coming in from being outdoors to remove unattached ticks.
• Check your pets after returning from places where ticks are present.
• Remove all attached ticks by grasping it with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and pulling it straight out. Make sure you see that the entire tick has been removed.

“Lyme disease is a bacterial illness transmitted to humans by blacklegged deer ticks, which has steadily increased in number in Ohio. Taking precautions to protect yourself, your family and your pets from Lyme disease is still very important even in the colder weather,” says SCPH Medical Director Dr. Margo Erme.

The initial symptoms of Lyme disease include:

• Flu-like illness
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Bull’s eye shaped rash at the site of the bite

If you begin having these symptoms make an appointment with your healthcare provider; if detected early Lyme diseases is highly treatable with antibiotic therapy. For more information regarding Lyme disease please visit www.odh.ohio.gov or click here.