I can't access the article without paying a fee. The ticks just don't know not to cross the state lines.
I live in this area. Can't believe all the ticks here.
Posted by Ann-Ohio (Member # 44364) on :
Indiana University researchers have found a Gulf Coast tick in southern Indiana.
As the name suggests, this species of arachnid is primarily found in states that border the Gulf of Mexico. Its presence in Indiana could signify an expanded range, and for Hoosiers that would mean an increased risk of contracting a nasty disease.
Tidewater fever, or rickettsia parkeri, is a form of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Both illnesses can result in fever, headache, rash and muscle aches.
“It’s not as bad as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but it’s something you don’t want to get, for sure,” said Keith Clay, IU distinguished professor emeritus of biology.
Clay recently left IU after more than three decades to become chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University.
He still leads IU’s Project Vector Shield, an initiative started in 2018 that collects ticks and mosquitoes from sites throughout Indiana.
Posted by Rivendell (Member # 19922) on :
Thanks for the info. About a decade ago, I tested positive for RMSF, but it could have been this. Testing is not that great.