As it gets warmer this month, Green County Public Health is reminding residents to protect themselves against ticks. Ticks are common in Wisconsin and can spread diseases such as Lyme Disease and more rarely Powassan Virus and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Lyme Disease is the most common illness spread by ticks in Wisconsin. It has spread to every county in the state over the last three decades, and doctors diagnose it in thousands of Wisconsinites each year. In 2020, over 3,075 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Wisconsin, and it’s estimated that many more cases were not reported. Over the past five years, Green County has averaged eight cases of Lyme Disease among county residents each year.

Many people who get sick from an illness spread by ticks do not remember getting a tick bite. The common symptoms of illnesses spread by ticks include fever, rash, headache, body aches, and fatigue. Most diseases spread by ticks in Wisconsin, including Lyme Disease, can be treated with antibiotics. You should call your doctor if you have worrisome symptoms and think you may have been bitten by a tick.

Tick bites are preventable. When spending time outdoors, follow these simple steps to protect yourself and your family members from tick bites.

Before Going Outdoors

Use an insect repellent with 20-30% DEET or another EPA-registered repellent, which can be found at https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you, according to the label instructions.

Use 0.5% permethrin products on clothing, socks, and shoes according to label instructions.

Wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants to avoid ticks crawling under clothing.

Use a veterinarian-prescribed tick prevention treatment on pets.

While Outdoors

Walk in the center of trails and do not brush up against plants on the edge of trails.

Avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and leaves.

After Being Outdoors

Check all parts of the body carefully, especially the armpits, behind the knees, scalp, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, and groin.

Parents should check their children for ticks.

Place clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks on clothing.

For more information on tick bite prevention, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tick/index.htm.