Tickborne diseases
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and local health
departments
investigate several tickborne diseases including Lyme
disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and spotted fever
rickettsiosis. Lyme disease is the highest reported tickborne illness in
Wisconsin, but numbers for the other conditions are increasing.
Diseases transmitted by ticks in Wisconsin:
Tickborne
diseases in Wisconsin chart (PDF, 12 KB)
Prevention and control of tickborne
diseases
This image identifies two of the ticks commonly found in Wisconsin, the
blacklegged (or deer) tick and the dog (or wood) tick. In Wisconsin, the
blacklegged tick can transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis,
and Powassan virus infection (a rare tickborne arbovirus illness)
General information
Ticks are arthropods related to mites and spiders. In Wisconsin, Ixodes
scapularis, commonly called the blacklegged or the deer tick is
the vector for anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and
Powassan virus infection. This tick is smaller than the wood (American
dog) tick, which makes it harder to see.
Blacklegged ticks have a two-year lifecycle, which includes egg,
larva, nymph, and adult stages. During this life cycle, the tick will
have three blood meals and usually feed on small mammals, birds, and
deer. Ticks feed by inserting their mouthparts into the skin of a host,
and during this time, infections may be transmitted to the tick or the
host. Once attached to a host, ticks will generally feed for 3-5 days.
Usually only nymphs and adult female ticks are able to transmit most
human tickborne diseases.
Ticks live in wooded, brushy areas that provide food and cover for
small animals and deer. Ticks are unable to jump or fly and usually
attach to a host at ground level. They crawl onto animals or people as
they brush against vegetation and will attach to the host for a blood
meal. Tick exposure is greatest in wooded areas, especially along trails
and fringe areas.
Tick
Management Handbook (PDF: 6.8 MB)
Tick management handbook with information on protecting yourself from
ticks, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Training information for health professionals
• Tickborne
disease training (PDF, 4.1 MB)
• Importing vectorborne labs into WEDSS (PDF, 1.8 MB)
• Vectorborne
information needed in WEDSS (PDF, 2.6 MB)
Educational material available from the Department of
Health Services:
| Form/Publication Number |
Form Name |
| DPH-9287 |
Lyme Disease brochure- A Public Information Guide,
English |
| DPH-9287s |
Lyme Disease brochure- A Public Information Guide,
Spanish |
| DPH-49466, CDC-CS 109745 |
Tick card: Protect yourself from tick-borne
disease, English |
| DPH-49466S, CDC-CS 109745 |
Tick card: Protect yourself from tick-borne
disease, Spanish |
Electronically order
forms: Follow the
instructions at the top of the page and email the form F-80025A (can
be used to order multiple forms/publications) to FM-DPH-PPH@dhfs.state.wi.us
Questions concerning ordering of forms can be addressed to Chris
Caputo, 608-267-9054
Additional Resources
Contacts
Wisconsin
Local Health Departments - Regional offices - Tribal agencies
Diep Hoang Johnson
Vectorborne Disease Epidemiologist
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response
(Phone 608-267-0249) (Fax 608-261-4976)
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Last Revised:
July 02, 2012 |
