The state Health Department is encouraging you to do a full-body check for ticks if you’ve spent time outdoors this weekend. For the second straight year, Lyme disease is increasing in Pennsylvania.
Ticks can transmit not only Lyme disease, but other dangerous conditions such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Powassan virus encephalitis, and alpha-gal syndrome.
Pennsylvania has introduced a new “Tickborne Diseases Dashboard”, using hospital emergency department data to track illnesses caused by ticks. For Lyme disease specifically, it checks a diagnosis of “confirmed or probable” infection.
In Indiana County so far this year, there have been 138 Lyme disease cases, along with 49 cases of anaplasmosis, and five of babesiosis.
Preventive measures, such as repellants containing permethrin, long pants and tucking your pantlegs into your socks are recommended for those who will be in wooded or tall-grass areas.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health Tickborne Diseases Dashboard:
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