Tick infected with rare illness found in Lake County

The first tick in Illinois to test positive for a rare bacteria was discovered in Lake County, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday.

A blacklegged tick, also referred to as a deer tick, collected on May 17 by Lake County Health Department staff tested positive for Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis, which can cause a group of diseases known as ehrlichiosis, according to authorities.

Ehrlichiosis can be easily treated with antibiotics, typically doxycycline, but can cause severe illness if left untreated, according to the IDPH.

All known human cases of EME have occurred in Wisconsin and Minnesota; the disease was first discovered in an Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, resident in 2009.

In Illinois, ehrlichiosis is primarily seen in the southern part of the state and spread through the bites of infected Lone star ticks, state health officials said.

Adult blacklegged ticks, which spread the disease, are active from October to December and any winter day above freezing. Such ticks are commonly found in areas with woods, brush, leaf litter and tall grass. Those who suspect they might be infected with a tickborne illness are encouraged to look out for symptoms such as fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches, nausea or vomiting and see a health provider immediately if any occur.

IDPH suggests the following tips to avoid tickborne illness:

• Learn about tick removal and symptom awareness HERE.
• Walk in the center of trails. Avoid wooded, bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
• Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to find. Tuck long pants into socks and boots.
• Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing 20% DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus according to label directions. The EPA has a search tool that can help you find the product that best suits your needs.
• Treat outdoor clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin.
• Conduct full-body tick checks on family members (underarms, ears, belly button, behind knees, between legs, waist, hair and scalp) every two to three hours. Also check any gear or pets taken on outings.
• Put your clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes (or one hour for damp clothes) to kill ticks.
• Shower within two hours after coming indoors.
• If you find a blacklegged tick on you that may have been attached for more than two days, then seek medical attention to decide if you need an antibiotic to prevent Lyme disease.
• It is often helpful to keep the tick for species identification. Place the tick in rubbing alcohol or in a sealed bag/container to bring to your healthcare provider or local health department for submission to IDPH.  A submission form can be found HERE  on the IDPH website.