By Carmen Martinez
Photo Courtesy: Centers for Disease Control and Preventions
A new study from the University of Illinois reveals an increasing trend in tick borne illnesses. Including ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Ticks have been present in Illinois since 1905, however the study states that in recent times there has been an exponential increase. This study was lead by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Ph.D. candidate Sulagna Chakraborty and her colleagues at Illinois. They surveyed 50 farmers and found that outdoor workers are at a higher risk for tick born diseases. Chakraborty stated that "Ticks are considered vectors because they can pick up an infection during a blood-meal from one host and transmit it to another in their next meal". Not only can ticks infect humans, but they can also infect cats, dogs, and other companion animals. Ticks have been able to spread to different geographic locations because of climate change and the movement patterns of their hosts such as birds, small mammals, and deer.
For information about tick prevention, check out Champaign Co. Forest Preserve.
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