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Photo of a black-legged Western tick from Wikimedia Commons | Taken by disease control and prevention centers
Trinity County Department of Health and Social Services Press Release:
Trinity County Public Health reminds residents that the tick season is very active in Northern California. May, June and July are usually the highest risk years for Lyme disease following a tick bite, with nymphs looking for a meal of blood to feed their growth in adult ticks.
Ticks are small arachnids that are found most often in areas of natural vegetation. There are many types of ticks in California, but only the blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) transmits Lyme disease. This reddish-brown tick is found in most California counties, but is most common in the humid coastal range, the Klamath Mountains and the western slope of northern Sierra Nevada.
Ticks are found in tall grass and scrub in urban, suburban and rural areas. Adult ticks climb to the ends of the vegetation, often along trails or trails, and wait for a host to sponge them. They attach to animals and humans and feed on blood by inserting their mouthparts (not their entire body) into the skin.
A person may be infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease when bitten by an infected blacklegged blackleg tick. As the number of tick-borne diseases continues to increase, the first line of defense for all these diseases is to take precautions to avoid tick bites.
• Avoid areas where ticks live, if possible.
• Wear light colors so that ticks are easily visible if they are on your clothes.
• Wear pants and long sleeved shirts. Tuck your pants into your boots or socks and slip your shirt into your pants.
• Use a repellent registered for use against ticks containing at least 20% of DEET. Always read and follow the instructions on the label when applying repellents.
• Regularly check your health and that of your children, especially at the level of the hairline, the base of the scalp, under the arms, in and around the ears, in the navel, behind the knees, between the legs and around the waist.
• Regularly check your pets for ticks and remove them quickly. Check with your veterinarian for the appropriate tick control products.
• If you have been in a known tick area, it is important to carry out bodily checks of up to 3.
days after leaving the area due to the possibility of a small nymph who has matured.The University of Wisconsin has a free mobile application, The Tick App, for easy identification of ticks, available in your app store. Additional resources are available on the California Department of Public Health website. Tick testing is available at an additional cost from the Sonoma County Health Department.
Visit the Trinity County Public Health website for more information or for links to additional resources. If you have any questions about Lyme disease, contact Trinity County Public Health at 530-623-8209 or toll-free at 800-766-6147.
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