Welcome to Babe Winkelman’s
Vector-Borne Disease Information Center
A complete guide on how you and your family can avoid the harmful and sometimes deadly effects of vector-borne diseases that can plague people’s lives for years!
Tick Species to Watch For
The most common tick species responsible for tick-borne illness are:
Deer tick
What problems are ticks causing and what is their effect on us?
Active Times
- Larvae are active July – September
Do not carry disease at this stage
-
Nymphs are active May – August.
Very common at this stage to feed on humans, cats, and dogs -
Adults are active October – May.
If temperatures stay above freezing during the day, these ticks can be active year-round.
Where to Find
Extensively Spread around the northeast states of the US states and in certain areas of upper midwestern states. VIEW CDC’S MAP HERE
- Deciduous forest
- Shrub branches
- Leaf litter
- Edges of wooded areas
Known Carrier:
-
Lyme disease
-
Babesiosis
-
Anaplasmosis (a type of Ehrlichiosis)
Notable Symptoms
- Lyme disease: Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle and joint aches) common in early stages of Lyme, red bullseye rash (erythema migrans or EM); arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and heart rhythm irregularities possible in later stages of the disease.
- Babesiosis: Spiking fever, chills, exhaustion, respiratory distress
- Anaplasmosis: Fever, headache, chills
Lone Star Tick
Active Times
- Larvae are active July – September
Do not carry disease at this stage
-
Nymphs are active May – August.
Very common at this stage to feed on humans, cats, and dogs -
Adults are active October – May.
If temperatures stay above freezing during the day, these ticks can be active year-round.
Where to Find
Extensively Spread around the northeast states of the US states and in certain areas of upper midwestern states. VIEW CDC’S MAP HERE
- Deciduous forest
- Shrub branches
- Leaf litter
- Edges of wooded areas
Known Carrier:
-
Lyme disease
-
Babesiosis
-
Anaplasmosis (a type of Ehrlichiosis)
Notable Symptoms
- Lyme disease: Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle and joint aches) common in early stages of Lyme, red bullseye rash (erythema migrans or EM); arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and heart rhythm irregularities possible in later stages of the disease.
- Babesiosis: Spiking fever, chills, exhaustion, respiratory distress
- Anaplasmosis: Fever, headache, chills
American Dog Tick
Active Times
- Larvae are active July – September
Do not carry disease at this stage
-
Nymphs are active May – August.
Very common at this stage to feed on humans, cats, and dogs -
Adults are active October – May.
If temperatures stay above freezing during the day, these ticks can be active year-round.
Where to Find
Extensively Spread around the northeast states of the US states and in certain areas of upper midwestern states. VIEW CDC’S MAP HERE
- Deciduous forest
- Shrub branches
- Leaf litter
- Edges of wooded areas
Known Carrier:
-
Lyme disease
-
Babesiosis
-
Anaplasmosis (a type of Ehrlichiosis)
Notable Symptoms
- Lyme disease: Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle and joint aches) common in early stages of Lyme, red bullseye rash (erythema migrans or EM); arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and heart rhythm irregularities possible in later stages of the disease.
- Babesiosis: Spiking fever, chills, exhaustion, respiratory distress
- Anaplasmosis: Fever, headache, chills
Rocky Mountain Wood Tick
Active Times
- Larvae are active July – September
Do not carry disease at this stage
-
Nymphs are active May – August.
Very common at this stage to feed on humans, cats, and dogs -
Adults are active October – May.
If temperatures stay above freezing during the day, these ticks can be active year-round.
Where to Find
Extensively Spread around the northeast states of the US states and in certain areas of upper midwestern states. VIEW CDC’S MAP HERE
- Deciduous forest
- Shrub branches
- Leaf litter
- Edges of wooded areas
Known Carrier:
-
Lyme disease
-
Babesiosis
-
Anaplasmosis (a type of Ehrlichiosis)
Notable Symptoms
- Lyme disease: Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle and joint aches) common in early stages of Lyme, red bullseye rash (erythema migrans or EM); arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and heart rhythm irregularities possible in later stages of the disease.
- Babesiosis: Spiking fever, chills, exhaustion, respiratory distress
- Anaplasmosis: Fever, headache, chills