Ticks and Tickborne Illness in Florida

Naturally Florida

The creepiest, crawliest, grossest of arachnids, in our opinion, are ticks. And no, we don't feel bad calling them gross!

Tick-borne illnesses can wreak havoc on people's lives and there is still so much we don't know about them. On today's episode, learn what we DO know about ticks in Florida, the diseases they may carry, and what to do to protect yourself, your family, and your friends from ticks.

Learn More:

1. Florida-specific tick information: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/family-resources/ticks-and-disease/ (UF/IFAS) and https://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/tick-and-insect-borne-diseases/index.html (FL Dept. of Health)
2. The CDC has a wonderful tool to identify the best insect repellants for various activities. Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn, "How to choose the right insect repellent": https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you (CDC)
3. More information on the diseases Ticks can carry and where they are found: ⁠https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/index.html⁠ (CDC)

Call to Action:

Learn about tick-bite prevention! That's really our only Call to Action this month.

1. Preventing Tick bites before going outdoors, and after: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html (CDC)
2. Dog checks: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_pets.html (CDC)
3. 
   

Sources for Show Notes:

• Reptile Host Associations of Ixodes Scapularis in Florida and Implications for Borrelia Spp. Ecology⁠
• A Survey of Tick-Borne Bacterial Pathogens in Florida
• Facts About Wildlife Diseases Ehrlichiosis1
• Ticks and Tick-Borne Infections Complex Ecology, Agents, and Host Interactions
• Preventing Tick Bites
• Preventing Ticks in the Yard
• How Ticks Spread Disease