Ohio seeing a 'shocking' spike in deer ticks, expert says

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A state insect expert says Ohio is seeing a “shocking” increase in the deer ticks that can carry Lyme disease.

Entomologist Richard Gary with the Ohio Department of Health says 183 ticks submitted to the agency last year have been confirmed as black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks. Another 1,830 of the ticks were found on deer heads collected from hunters by other state offices.

Gary tells The Blade newspaper of Toledo that only 51 deer ticks were identified statewide between 1989 and 2009.

He says the ticks have been most prevalent in eastern and southern counties, and some have been found to carry the Lyme bacteria. Information about the disease is being sent out to health professionals statewide. Ohio reported 44 cases last in 2010.