Tick-borne diseases are transmitted to humans by tick bites. In the United States, these diseases include:
A helpful Reference Manual, Tickborne Diseases of the United States, is also available for Healthcare Providers.
The symptoms of these diseases varies from mild to severe infections, and in some cases requiring hospitalization.
Avoiding ticks and the places where they live is the first line of defense in preventing exposure to tick-borne diseases.
You can also reduce your risk of tick bites by using an EPA registered insect repellent. The EPA has an online search tool to find the right insect repellent for your needs. Keeping a can of insect repellent easily accessible near the front door, in the shed, garage, or car is a good way to make sure it gets used consistently.
You can treat your shoes, clothes and other outdoor gear with permethrin to reduce tick bites.
Frequent and thorough body checks for ticks are also important in reducing your risk of disease. The longer a tick remains attached, the greater the likelihood it will transmit disease. Placing clothes in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes will kill any ticks lingering on the fabric.
Additional prevention tips can be found in our Science-based Answers to Tick-borne Disease Prevention Questions and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
A diagram of various ticks and the states where they may live may be found in the Integrated Pest Management publication: Pest Alert: Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases.
The Dutchess County Community Survey on Lyme Disease and Other Diseases Carried by Ticks (2015-2016) is also available.
