What ticks carry Lyme disease in Michigan?

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by the blacklegged tick. It is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States and it is spreading across the state of Michigan.

How do I know what kind of tick I have?

Identifying Tick Life Stages
  1. Tick Larvae. Larval ticks are extremely small and hard to see. …
  2. Tick Nymphs. Nymphal ticks have 8 legs and an obvious dorsal shield (the shield-like structure atop the abdomen). …
  3. Adult Tick. Adult ticks have 8 legs, a distinguishable dorsal shield, and visible mouthparts.

What are the four types of ticks?

Know The Types of Ticks
  • Blacklegged “Deer” Tick (Ixodes scapularis) …
  • Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) …
  • Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) …
  • Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni) …
  • Soft Ticks (Ornithodoros) …
  • Western Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes pacificus)

How big is a Michigan tick?

Ticks are usually one-third to one-quarter inch in size. They attach themselves to your skin and become engorged on your blood. The state has published a 16-page guide on ticks and preventing tick-borne illnesses.

What is a deer tick look like?

Both male and female deer ticks have flat, oval bodies, and are not hard-shelled. Female deer ticks are orangish brown in color except for their legs, mouthparts, and scutum (shield). Unengorged, their abdomen is a dark reddish-brown color but becomes darker after feeding on a host.

When should you worry about a tick bite?

If it develops into a larger rash or you develop a rash anywhere, possibly with a bull’s-eye pattern, it may indicate Lyme disease. The rash usually appears within 3 to 14 days. Consult your provider even if the rash disappears because you may still be at risk of having the disease.

What percentage of Michigan ticks carry Lyme disease?

Meanwhile, tick surveys conducted by the researchers also revealed that a substantial number of the insects were carrying Lyme-causing bacteria. “At our ‘hotspot’ in southwest Michigan, typically about 20 to 25 percent of the nymphs are infected, and about 40 percent of the adults are infected,” Tsao said.

What is the most common tick in Michigan?

The American Dog tick is by far the most common tick found in Michigan. It is active from early May-November. It will readily bite humans and our companion animals. This species is the vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia, and is easily distinguished by it’s ornate scutum.

How do I identify a tick in Michigan?

Expert tick identification is available free of charge for Michigan residents through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). You can either email a picture of the tick to [email protected], or you can mail the tick to the MDHHS for identification.

Is there an app to identify ticks?

The Tick App also provides information on tick identification, tick removal and other prevention ideas. You can also submit ticks for identification by university staff. The Tick App was developed as part of a collaborative research study between the Midwest and Northeast Centers of Excellence in Vector-borne Disease.

What type of tick carries Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern U.S. and upper midwestern U.S. and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast.

What do ticks look like in skin?

A feeding tick looks like an engorged, oval-shaped bean stuck to your skin. Depending on it’s species, it can be black, brown, reddish-brown, gray, or yellow in color. If you’ve found a tick still in the process of sucking your blood, read this article about how to safely remove it.

How can you tell how long a tick has been attached?

If the tick has a swollen or rounded body, and the color has changed from brick red to a gray or brown, is an indication that the tick has been feeding and may have been attached for more than 36 hours.

Do all ticks carry Lyme disease in Michigan?

Several species of ticks are known to bite people and pets and may harbor dangerous bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Not all ticks carry diseases, but tick-related diseases such as Lyme disease do occur in Michigan and can be serious or fatal if not properly diagnosed and treated.

How soon do you need antibiotics after a tick bite?

The antibiotic can be given within 72 hours of tick removal. The bite occurs in a highly endemic area, meaning a place where Lyme disease is common.