The Berrien County Health Department is reminding everyone to be mindful of ticks when outdoors at a time when tick activity is increasing each year.
Berrien County Health Department environmental health supervisor Brian Murphy tells us the state health department has been watching the trend.
“There’s going to be more of it with the increased amount of precipitation we’re seeing,” Murphy said. “We’re seeing warmer temperatures early in the season. So with that, there’s going to be a growing number of ticks and more chance of, of course, that Lyme disease.”
Murphy says deer ticks are most commonly associated with Lyme disease, an illness that should be taken seriously.
“It’s very serious, so it’s very important to practice those prevention steps with ticks. Symptoms of Lyme disease, it’s like flu-like symptoms. You get fatigue. There’s aches. There’s joint pain. And it can develop into a very serious disease and even be fatal.”
Lyme disease also comes with a signature circular rash. The illness can get worse when left untreated.
Murphy says a way to protect yourself is to avoid areas where ticks are prevalent.
“It’s important to stick to those trails when you’re outdoors. Avoid those wooded areas, the long grass, the heavy brush areas, because [ticks] have these barbed, sharp mouth parts that grab onto you.”
If you’re going off-trail or out in the grass, wear long pants and sleeves, use insect repellent with DEET, and check yourself for ticks after. Murphy says showering and throwing your clothes on high heat in the drier for a while can help. And do a tick check.
“No more than two hours after, do a tick check. Check those areas it’s hard to see. Areas like behind your knees, inside and behind your ears, your groin area, your scalp. It doesn’t take long. But just really be careful and do those tick checks.”
Murphy also notes pets can get Lyme disease, so check your dog after it’s been running around outdoors.
The Berrien County Health Department regularly monitors key areas of the county for ticks.
“Our tick drags are not too complicated. It’s not really scientific. We just take a blanket-sized cloth and we drag it along the trails, across the tall, grassy areas in an attempt, obviously, to collect ticks.”
Murphy tells us Berrien County has had reported cases of Lyme disease this year, although he didn’t have the exact number. The state of Michigan’s Lyme Disease Risk Map shows Berrien as among those counties with a known Lyme disease risk.
