The Washington State Department of Health is once again asking people across the state to submit ticks found outdoors.
Health officials use the tick submissions to better understand where various species live in the state and whether they carry diseases. Last year, Washington residents submitted 264 ticks for testing and agency staff and volunteers collected additional ticks.
Of the ticks tested last year, more than 2 percent carried the Lyme disease bacterium and two ticks were positive for the bacterium that causes anaplasmosis, another tick-borne illness.
While tick-transmitted diseases are uncommon in Washington, they can be serious, causing long-lasting health problems, according to health officials. To prevent tick bites, health officials recommend wearing insect repellent containing DEET or permethrin and limiting the amount of exposed skin.
For information on how to submit ticks, visit the health department website, www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Pests/Ticks.aspx.
