Ticks and the diseases they carry-are on the rise in Ohio this season and will likely continue to increase.

"Ticks are extraordinarily adaptable and can travel on host animals," said Ohio State University Extension Educator, Tim McDetmott.

"Ticks expand when their habitat range expands due to global climate change. They take advantage of what they can take advantage of to move to new spaces. So now, every year going forward has the potential to be bad, and you should go into each tick season thinking about how you can keep you and your family tick-safe," McDermott said.

McDermott says while the risk of encountering ticks in Ohio, as well as the number of ticks that are carrying disease is high, there are things people can do to keep themselves safe. One way to control ticks is through proper management of their habitat.

"If you think you might have been exposed to a tick bite, contact your physician right away to get a diagnosis," McDermott said. "It's very important to receive the appropriate treatment as soon as possible."
 
More information on ticks can be found at Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, an Ohioline fact sheet. Ohioline is OSU Extension's free online information resource and can be found here.