CDC reports tick increase in Iowa



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DUBUQUE, Iowa (KWWL) – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that tick populations are increasing rapidly in the United States, particularly in the Midwestern states.

These increasing populations are affecting eastern Iowa. Curt Kemmerer, wildlife biologist at the Department of National Defense of Iowa, said that a certain species of tick was on the rise and that it was causing concern.

"Blacklegged ticks, deer ticks, are the ones most likely to carry Lyme disease and those that seem to be becoming more prevalent in northeastern Iowa for whatever reason."

The CDC says that this type of tick is also causing concern for another tick-borne disease that has recently increased. More and more cases of Ehrlichiosis, which has symptoms similar to those of Lyme disease, have been reported in the United States.

Kemmerer says that although many people assume that the long winter that East Iowa has experienced this year would have killed a lot of ticks, this is not the case. In fact, Kemmerer says that this could have contributed to the increase in the number of bugs.

He says it's hard to determine what factors contribute to the increase in numbers, but a few are expected to help ticks increase in populations such as wet and snowy conditions during the summer months. ;winter.

He says that there is another factor that can contribute to the numbers.

"I do not know if we understand them perfectly, but I think this mammal population, our populations of wildlife, are part of the problem that affects the tick population. The tick. "

The CDC suggests that you always check for ticks on your children's and your pet's hair and skin every time you spend time outdoors.

Once the tick is attached to a host, it takes about 36 to 48 hours for it to infect the host.

Fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes are symptoms of Lyme disease and Erhlichiosis.

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