PRI-Tick-Surveillance-Factsheet

PRI FACTSHEET

STATEWIDE TICK TRACKING PROGRAM PROMOTES PUBLIC HEALTH

Less than two years ago, the Medical Entomology Laboratory at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) launched Illinois’ statewide tick surveillance program in partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The program, which is scheduled to continue for another 2.5 years, has already dramatically improved understanding of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Illinois.

TICK-BORNE DISEASE ▶ Illinois also has seen increases in IN ILLINOIS spotted fever group Rickettsioses Ticks harbor and transmit numerous (such as Rocky Mountain Spotted 400 pathogens that can make people Fever) and mammal-meat allergies sick, including the agents of Lyme transmitted by other species of disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, ticks present in the state. tularemia, and ehrlichiosis. In 2017–2018, ▶ New human pathogens spread by human tick-borne disease cases were ticks have also emerged in recent 300

recorded in more than half of Illinois’ years. In Illinois this includes # OF CASES PER YEAR counties, according to IDPH data. the potentially fatal ▶ Illinois Lyme disease cases have Heartland virus. increased, likely due to continued invasion by the blacklegged tick. 200

Human cases of Lyme disease and spotted fever group Rickettsioses (such as Rocky Mountain Spotted 100 Fever) in Illinois, 1990–2019.

0 1990 2000 2010

TICK SURVEILLANCE RESULTS past suspected human exposure to tick tick-borne diseases in Illinois and has The Medical Entomology Lab’s statewide bites and/or suitable environmental criteria. documented the presence of new tick surveillance program began in 2019, disease-carrying ticks in Illinois. with support from IDPH. Tick collection Scientists have collected 9,635 ticks methodology was based on Centers from 66 of Illinois’ 102 counties, An online interactive map makes for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for testing 2,325 ticks for multiple it easy for all Illinoisans to access the quantitative tick surveillance and was pathogens. This work has increased tick surveillance data and find out what designed in consultation with the CDC. our knowledge of the geographic ticks have been found in their area: Surveillance sites are selected based on distribution of known ticks and https://go.illinois.edu/illinois-ticks. ADULT FEMALE Blacklegged tick Lyme disease The blacklegged tick was found in 24 ▶ Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. NYMPH of the 42 counties across northern and (~39% prevalence in tested ticks) central Illinois where surveillance and Tickborne relapsing fever testing were conducted. This tick can ▶ Borrelia miyamotoi (found in 7 of 42 counties) ADULT carry the pathogen responsible for Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) MALE Lyme disease as well as three emerging ▶ Anaplasma phagocytophilum (found in 9 of 42 counties) disease agents, which were found in Babesiosis ticks from northern and central Illinois. ▶ Babesia microti * (found in 4 of 42 counties)

Gulf Coast tick R. parkeri rickettsiosis ADULT ADULT MALE The Gulf Coast tick has become newly ▶ Rickettsia parkeri * FEMALE invasive in the southern half of Illinois (~17% prevalence in (present in 14 counties, established in 6). tested ticks) It transmits a pathogen that causes R. parkeri rickettsiosis, a disease similar to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Lone Star tick Ehrlichiosis The highly invasive Lone Star tick is ▶ Ehrlichia chaffeensis * expanding its range throughout Illinois. ▶ Ehrlichia ewingii * It carries pathogens responsible for Heartland virus disease ADULT ehrlichiosis and Heartland virus disease. ▶ Heartland virus * FEMALE ADULT NYMPH MALE

American dog tick Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Pathogens that spread Rocky Mountain ▶ Rickettsia rickettsii * Spotted Fever and tularemia were Tularemia documented in the American dog tick. ▶ Francisella tularensis ADULT FEMALE ADULT MALE

* PATHOGEN NEWLY DETECTED IN ILLINOIS TICKS BY THE MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY TEAM

TRAINING AND OUTREACH in tick surveillance to: ▶ Green Oaks Biological Field Station, The Medical Entomology Lab trains ▶ Illinois Department of Public Health Knox College staff from forest preserve and park ▶ Public health departments in Champaign, districts, county health departments, DeWitt-Piatt, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, Medical Entomology Lab staff have and mosquito abatement districts to LaSalle and Mercer counties also given talks across the state to conduct tick surveillance, provides them ▶ Mosquito abatement districts in health departments and public with materials, and receives ticks from Cook and Macon counties health organizations. them for identifications and testing. ▶ DuPage County Forest Preserve District The surveillance team has provided ▶ St. Charles Park District field training and/or training materials ▶ Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo

LEARN MORE For more information about the Medical Entomology Lab visit https://medical-entomology.inhs.illinois.edu/ or contact Angie Coy, PRI coordinator of stakeholder engagement, at [email protected] or 217.265.4677.