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From May to September, the Calhoun County Public Health Department participates in a vector borne disease surveillance program to obtain data on the prevalence of Lyme disease (transmitted by blacklegged ticks) and Zika-transmitting mosquitos in the county. A vector refers to an organism that is able to transmit a disease from one living thing to another, such as mosquitoes and ticks. Obtaining this information will help the county prioritize areas of concern where these vectors are abundant and form strategies for their control.
Ticks | Mosquitoes | Tick Photo Submission | Additional Links
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Ticks
There are 20 different types of ticks that are known in the state of Michigan, and because different species carry different diseases it’s important to know which species are located in Calhoun County to be better prepared on preventing the spread of these different diseases.
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The Calhoun County Public Health Department offers “tick kits” to the community that includes an informational booklet for tick-borne disease prevention as well as the necessary materials and instructions for collecting and submitting live ticks to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) laboratory for testing. Pick up your FREE tick kit at the Calhoun County Environmental Public Health office or visit the MDHHS website for more details.
For questions please contact Environmental Public Health or visit the additional information below for helpful links regarding tick identification and prevention tactics.
Mosquitoes
Calhoun County Public Health Department’s staff, in partnership with MDHHS, conducts surveillance of mosquitoes that is crucial in identifying if the mosquitoes in our county are carriers of disease. The most common emerging mosquito-borne illnesses within the United States are West Nile, Zika, LaCrosse, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Read about EEE in Calhoun County.
For tips on safety and preventing mosquito bites visit the CDC Mosquito Bite Prevention page.
For questions please contact Environmental Public Health or visit the additional information below for helpful links.
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Tick Photo Submission Portal
Calhoun County residents may access the portal and submit images they take of ticks they identify and are looking for expert advice on such ticks they find. Pictures of the ticks may be submitted with phone cameras but they need to be clear to be recognizable by health department staff. Once images are reviewed, you will receive an email or phone call from the health department with specifics on what kind of tick you have found. ACCESS TICK PHOTO SUBMISSION PORTAL
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