State issues warning on Lyme disease risk

Chicago Tribune by Charles Sheehan
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday warned of the risk of Lyme disease after deer ticks found in DuPage County tested positive for the bacteria that cause the illness.

A person bitten by a tick infected with the Lyme disease bacteria could see a slowly expanding bull's-eye rash days or weeks after contact. Lyme disease, if untreated, can lead to arthritis, facial palsy and sensory nerve inflammation.

The only other counties in the Chicago metropolitan area where established populations of the ticks have been found are Will and Grundy, health officials said.

Health officials also found American dog ticks and lone star ticks at two DuPage County testing sites, according to the Public Health Department.

The American dog tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, whose symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, headache and muscle pain, followed by a rash.

The Rocky Mountain tick also can transmit that disease, as well as ehrlichiosis and tularemia, bacterial diseases that can be fatal.

The deer tick can also carry ehrlichiosis, according to the department.

"Several diseases can be transmitted by tick bites," Dr. Eric Whitaker, the state public health director, said Friday.

People spending time outdoors in these areas should wear white or light-colored clothing and should check regularly for ticks on their clothing, he said. Tucking long pants into socks gives additional protection, he said.

Insect repellent containing DEET should be applied to exposed skin, Whitaker said.