Five-year study to assess risk of tickborne illnesses in Pennsylvania
The survey, which started in July 2018 in coordination with county
governments, is part of the Pennsylvania Lyme Disease Task Force
recommendations for combatting the growing incidence of Lyme and other
tick-borne diseases. It is funded annually through the state budget.
“Lyme disease affects thousands of Pennsylvanians every year, but
ticks are also known to carry other pathogens that could infect humans.
This survey will provide important data that will help us better
understand these arachnids in our environment and inform Pennsylvanians
on how, when and where to avoid getting bitten by a disease-carrying
tick,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “We want everyone to enjoy
the outdoors and take the proper precautions to avoid contact with
ticks, and we are proud to support the Lyme Disease Task Force’s efforts
to protect Pennsylvanians.”
“Lyme disease is a major public health concern in Pennsylvania,”
Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Many people believe that
Lyme disease, and the ticks that carry the disease, can only be found in
wooded areas. However, I know personally, as do many others, that ticks
can be found in your backyard, where you walk your dog, or the local
park. These surveillance efforts will help us to share with all
Pennsylvanians the importance of taking steps to protect yourself.”
The survey is taking place in every county in Pennsylvania to track
ticks’ habitats, life stages and peak activity levels and to test them
for human pathogenic diseases. Additionally, 38 counties are conducting a
specific survey of nymphal blacklegged (Ixodes scapularis) ticks, which
can transmit Lyme Disease to humans.
Ticks are collected using white felt drags that sample low-lying ground cover and understory vegetation for questing ticks.
Fall and winter surveillance focused on analyzing adult blacklegged
ticks for emerging and changing disease burdens in public use habitats
across Pennsylvania, such as parks, playgrounds or recreational fields.
The spring and summer surveillance will focus on collecting three
tick species: the blacklegged tick in its immature nymphal stage, when
it most often infects humans with Lyme disease, as well as human
babesiosis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis; the adult American dog
(Dermacentor variabilis) tick, which transmits Rocky Mounted Spotted
Fever and Tulameria; and adult lone star (Amblyomma americanum) tick,
which transmits Ehrlichiosis and Tularmeria.
The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick causes the most tickborne
illness in Pennsylvania due to its size and activity period. It is
significantly smaller — about the size of a poppy seed — than the adult
and therefore less likely to be discovered on the human body.
“The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick’s lifespan overlaps with
people enjoying the outdoors in the spring and summer,” McDonnell said.
“Tracking and testing them at this stage is extremely important because
it will allow us to more accurately pinpoint when and where risk of
human illness is most prevalent and help prevent cases of Lyme disease
in the future.”
Since July 1, 2018, DEP collected 3,663 adult black-legged ticks for testing.
