Warmer weather brings ticks and mosquitoes; the dangers they can bring
Warmer weather has started to become the trend in the Miami Valley, and people will surely enjoy the sun, but they have to be on the lookout for parasites.
Ticks and Mosquitoes are back, and News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott spoke with one local expert about the dangerous disease they can carry.
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Inside John Bryan State Park, people are hiking and picnicking. However, this is a breeding ground for ticks and mosquitos. You might think ticks are just creepy or mosquitoes are a nuisance, but they can be much more.
“We have had over 500 cases of Lyme disease in Ohio in the last two years,” Larry Shaffer said.
Shaffer is the Director of Environmental Health at the Clark County Combined Health District. He said blacklegged ticks that carry Lyme disease are new to our area.
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“They’ve not been in southwest Ohio,” Shaffer said.
They have been spotting more over the last few years.
“Now they have the opportunity to get Lyme disease right here,” Shaffer said.
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Lance Harper was out with his family Thursday.
“I did find my first one. My dog yesterday came home with a tick,” Harper said.
He makes a point to check for ticks.
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“We definitely check him once he gets inside and ourselves, but luckily, I haven’t had any problems,” Harper said.
Ticks that are not found make themselves known if they carry Lyme disease. A skin reaction that looks like a bullseye and other symptoms pop up.
“It can go on to cause chronic diseases such as chronic joint pain, chronic inflammation, and problems really for the rest of your life,” Shaffer said.
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The treatment for Lyme disease is antibiotics if you catch it soon enough.
“Get to the doctor. Get the prescription for antibiotics and get that taken care of,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer said to prevent mosquitos, use spray or wear long sleeves, but if you have a tick on you, use tweezers to take the tick off by the head and then send it to your local public health to see if it had any diseases.
