RustyPine17
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I've heard so much about ticks recently and their potential to spread diseases. Should I really be concerned about them while hiking or fishing? What's been your experience?
Are ticks worth worrying about in Washington?
- Thread starter RustyPine17
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Montana Cowboy
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When it comes to tick's opossums are your friend, they eat a lot of ticks
From Washington State Department of Health:
"Although Lyme disease is the most commonly-reported tick-borne disease in the United States, it is rare in Washington State. Each year, 10-40 cases of Lyme disease among Washington residents are reported, but most of these people acquire the disease following tick bites that occur in the northeast and upper mid-west states, where Lyme disease occurs more commonly. Only zero to seven confirmed Lyme disease cases per year are reported to be acquired in Washington.
In Washington, the ticks that spread Lyme disease are primarily found in western Washington, but are also present on the eastern slopes of the Cascades.
In North America, most Lyme disease cases occur between May and August."
Watch for the tell-tale "red-bullseye".
Also, and this important IF YOU ARE A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: you MUST report all tick bites to your supervisor! This pertains to possible disability payments. If you develop Lyme disease and claim it is because you were bitten by a tick while on duty, you would not be eligible for Federal disability (which starts on day one, unlike state disability which has a waiting period), unless you can prove it was related to that bite (very hard to do!). I know this because I was appointed, as a collateral duty, to be Safety Officer for my US Fish and Wildlife Office.
BTW: From the Department of Health:
"In the Pacific Northwest, relatively few tick-borne disease cases are reported each year in comparison to other regions of the United States. In Washington, the tick-borne diseases known to be acquired include: anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, tick paralysis, and tularemia. Learn about these tick-borne diseases and others of concern, and what symptoms of illness to watch for."
"Although Lyme disease is the most commonly-reported tick-borne disease in the United States, it is rare in Washington State. Each year, 10-40 cases of Lyme disease among Washington residents are reported, but most of these people acquire the disease following tick bites that occur in the northeast and upper mid-west states, where Lyme disease occurs more commonly. Only zero to seven confirmed Lyme disease cases per year are reported to be acquired in Washington.
In Washington, the ticks that spread Lyme disease are primarily found in western Washington, but are also present on the eastern slopes of the Cascades.
In North America, most Lyme disease cases occur between May and August."
Watch for the tell-tale "red-bullseye".
Also, and this important IF YOU ARE A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: you MUST report all tick bites to your supervisor! This pertains to possible disability payments. If you develop Lyme disease and claim it is because you were bitten by a tick while on duty, you would not be eligible for Federal disability (which starts on day one, unlike state disability which has a waiting period), unless you can prove it was related to that bite (very hard to do!). I know this because I was appointed, as a collateral duty, to be Safety Officer for my US Fish and Wildlife Office.
BTW: From the Department of Health:
"In the Pacific Northwest, relatively few tick-borne disease cases are reported each year in comparison to other regions of the United States. In Washington, the tick-borne diseases known to be acquired include: anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, tick paralysis, and tularemia. Learn about these tick-borne diseases and others of concern, and what symptoms of illness to watch for."
Off Topic:
I was curious about avian flu, especially the "new" strain, H5N1, especially in light of (1) RFK, Jr. closing the Avian Flu research lab @ CDC, and (2) his desire to import 200 infected ostriches from Canada. I did some research and non of the avian flu strains can be spread by ticks (as far as we know)! However, waterfowl are known vectors.
Of course, RFK, Jr. is the idiot who drove a hundred miles with a dead dolphin on his car and dumped a roadkill black bear carcass in Central Park!
I was curious about avian flu, especially the "new" strain, H5N1, especially in light of (1) RFK, Jr. closing the Avian Flu research lab @ CDC, and (2) his desire to import 200 infected ostriches from Canada. I did some research and non of the avian flu strains can be spread by ticks (as far as we know)! However, waterfowl are known vectors.
Of course, RFK, Jr. is the idiot who drove a hundred miles with a dead dolphin on his car and dumped a roadkill black bear carcass in Central Park!
Not ticks, but mosquitoes: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/west-nile-virus
