Rocky
Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, tularemia, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis,
rabies
CHICAGO – As the weather remains warm and people continue to spend more time
outdoors, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. LaMar
Hasbrouck reminds residents of the importance to take precautions against
illness caused by tick and animal bites.
Ticks can carry diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme
disease, tularemia, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis, while bats and other wild
animals pose the risk of transmitting rabies, a virus that affects the nervous
system of humans and other mammals. A bite from ticks, bats or wild
animals could cause severe illness in both children and adults.
One way to avoid a tick bite is to wear a repellent that contains
20 to 30 percent DEET on exposed skin, and if you are in a heavily wooded area,
walk in the center of trails so that weeds do not brush against you.
Also, check yourself, children and other family members, including pets, every
two to three hours for ticks. If you become ill with fever and/or rash
after being in tick habitat contact your health care provider.
While bats are the primary
carrier of rabies in the state, any wild mammal such as a raccoon, skunk, fox,
or coyote, can have rabies. Humans can get rabies after being bitten by
an infected animal. Rabies can also be contracted when saliva from a
rabid animal gets directly into a person’s eyes, nose, mouth or a wound.
So it’s important to teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, and
encourage them to immediately tell if they are bitten or scratched by an animal;
keep vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats and ferrets; and supervise your
pets so that they do not come in contact with wild animals. If you find a
bat in your home, do not release it until you have called your local health
department.
Call the local health department or animal control agency to
remove stray dogs or cats in your neighborhood.
“We want residents to enjoy
their summer, but we also want them to take the necessary precautions to avoid
illness and disease,” Dr. Hasbrouck said. “While there are medical
treatments available for persons exposed to infected tick and animal bites, the
best approach is to protect yourself from being bitten or scratched in the
first place.”
More information about
preventing tick bites and disease can be found at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pccommonticks.htm.
For information on rabies,
visit http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/reportdis/rabies.htm.
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IDPH continues to implement its Five Year Strategy 2014-2018 to maximize IDPH’s effectiveness, influence and value for
promoting wellness, health equity, safety and improved health outcomes.
Strategic plan priorities include developing and expanding partnerships;
improving data utilization; reducing health disparities; improving regulatory
compliance; and branding, marketing and communicating IDPH’s value. http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/StrategicPlan_Final_2014-2018.pdf
Shelia Porter
Public Information Officer
Illinois
Department of Public Health
69 W.
Washington St.
35th Floor
Chicago, IL
60603
Cell: (312)
919-0264
Ph.: (312)
814-3524
Email: shelia.porter@illinois.gov
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