MONROE — As it gets warmer this month, Green County Public Health is reminding residents to protect themselves against ticks. Ticks are common in Wisconsin, and can spread diseases such as Lyme disease and more rarely Powassan virus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. 

Lyme disease is the most common illness spread by ticks in Wisconsin. It has spread to every county in the state over the last three decades, and doctors diagnose it in thousands of Wisconsinites each year. In 2018, over 3,105 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Wisconsin, and it’s estimated that many more cases were unreported. 

Many people who get sick from an illness spread by ticks do not remember getting a tick bite. 

The common symptoms of illnesses spread by ticks include fever, rash, headache, body aches and fatigue. Most diseases spread by ticks in Wisconsin, including Lyme disease, can be treated with antibiotics. Those who have symptoms should call their doctor. 

Tick bites are preventable. When spending time outdoors, follow these simple steps to protect yourself and your family members from tick bites:

Before going outdoors:

Use an insect repellent with at least 20% DEET or another EPA-registered repellent according to the label instructions.

Use 0.5% permethrin products on clothing, socks, and shoes according to label instructions. 

Wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants to avoid ticks crawling under clothing. 

Use a veterinarian-prescribed tick prevention treatment on pets.

Walk in the center of trails and do not brush up against plants on the edge of trails. 

Avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and leaves. 

After being outdoors:

Check your entire body for ticks. Have someone check areas that you cannot see.

Take a shower as soon as possible after coming in from outdoors.

Place clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks on clothing.

For more information on tick bite prevention, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.