More heat and more humidity increase chances of contracting tick-borne diseases, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
And the number of Lyme-disease carriers, the black-legged ticks known as deer ticks, is increasing, says Entomologist Mary K. Daniels of the department.
She said investigators found more than 300 deer ticks in Coshocton County with 67 percent of them testing positively for Lyme disease.
“In 2010, we tested 45” in the state, she said.
Ticks have a two-year reproductive cycle. The spring of 2014 should produce a large population, especially with warmer than normal winter temperatures.
Last year, Ohio logged 86 cases of tick-borne disease in humans, up from 78 in 2010. Some 82 percent of the 2,014 ticks examined statewide were deer ticks.
The Centers for Disease Control report Ohio had 32 Lyme cases in 2010 or .02 cases per 100,000. That’s down from a record 82 in 2002.
The ticks mostly are found in wooded areas with high weeds. Doctors suggest hikers stay on trails with their dogs to avoid them.
Most tick bites are harmless, according to doctors at The Ohio State University. They suggest wearing light-colored clothing in the woods, covering exposed skin and tucking pants into socks. Products containing DEET are repellents but not 100 percent effective. Shower after activities and check skin for ticks. Check children and pets.
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BY THE NUMBERS:
•15,000 U.S. average number of Lyme Disease cases per year.
• 300 Number of deer ticks tested in Coshocton County.
• 67 Percentage of deer ticks testing positively for Lyme disease.
• 86 Ohio tick-born disease cases in 2011.
• 82 Percentage of 2,013 ticks examined in Ohio that were deer ticks.
• 40 Percentage of humans who develop Lyme disease after bitten by infected ticks.
• 4 percent
Fatality rate of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme is rarely fatal.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control, Ohio Department of Health
HOW TO REMOVE TICKS
If you find a tick on your body, grab behind its head with tweezers and pull it out. Do not squeeze or twist the tick. If the head remains under the skin, seek medical attention. Disinfect with alcohol and peroxide after tick is removed.
Source: The Ohio State University
Source: The Ohio State University
TICK-BORNE DISEASES
LYME (black-legged or deer ticks)
Symptoms: Red rash ringing the bite developing within 32 days in 40 percent of infected humans. Other symptoms include fever, rash, fatigue, joint soreness.
Treatment: Immediate prescribed antibiotic therapy.
Complications: Life threatening, immediate to long-term (years) problems including neurological damage, arthritis outset and heart disease.
ANAPLASMOSIS(black-legged deer ticks)
Symptoms: Fever, headache, chills, muscle aches.
Treatment: Prescribed antibiotics.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER(American dog ticks)
Symptoms: Sudden onset of fever, headaches, flu-like symptoms, spotted rash that spreads.
Treatment: Prescribed antibiotics, 4 percent fatality rate if not treated.
EHRLICHIOSIS (lone star ticks)
Symptoms: Fever, headache, chills, muscle pain, nausea, red eyes, rash, confusion.
Treatment: Prescribed antibiotics.
Source: Ohio Department of Health
