TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — DEP tick specialist Christian Boyer was dragging for ticks along the Iroquois Trail near Tunkhannock on Wednesday. It didn't take long to spot a black-legged tick, more commonly known as a deer tick. Boyer said he had previously dragged a long section of the trail and collected 50 ticks. They tested positive for deer tick virus (DTV), a potentially serious tick-borne disease different from Lyme disease.
"It was concerning when we first heard about it. Of course, we research. We had contact with the DEP and tried to see what the next steps were immediately to possibly have some mitigation here," said Doug Deutsch, manager of the Wyoming County Conservation District.
The DTV-positive ticks were discovered during routine testing. Tick specialists survey areas in every county in Pennsylvania to track tick habitats, life stages, and peak activity levels and test them for diseases.
"Last year, we collected deer tick virus in 10 counties. This year we're up to 16. But again, at very low levels other than the three sites in the state, with Wyoming County being one of them that has an extreme high infection rate, one that we have never seen before," Boyer said.
Experts aren't discouraging people from being outdoors and using the trails. They want people to take precautions, so you don't bring a tick home with you.
"Walking in the center of the trails or treating your clothing with permethrin-based products, or wearing the repellent, tuck your pants into your socks, your shirt into your pants, and do tick checks when you get home to remove any of those ticks and reduce your risk of being bitten," Boyer advised.
Deer Tick Virus can spread within 15 minutes of a bite, much quicker than Lyme disease.
If you are bitten by a tick and experience flu-like symptoms, you should call your doctor.
Deer tick virus hasn't been found in other counties in our area, but the DEP continues to test for it statewide.
For more information about tick-borne disease prevention, visit the Department of Health's website.
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