URBANA, Ill. – Ticks, once limited to the northeast region of the United States, are making a westward migration across the U.S. and with them, tickborne diseases that cost the healthcare system up to $1.3 billion a year to treat. Exposure to ticks can happen anywhere - from backyards to parks to agricultural fields. Agricultural workers who spend significant time outdoors are at great risk for exposure to ticks. Ticks are considered vectors since they carry diseases that they transmit to other organisms. In the first year of a two-year study by University of Illinois researchers and Illinois Extension professionals, three prevalent tick species in Illinois were studied: deer tick, American dog tick, and Lonestar tick. Diseases associated with ticks include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, Powassan virus, anaplasmosis, tularemia, ehrlichiosis, heartland virus, and Alpha-gal syndrome. Based on previous studies, researchers want to better understand the level of knowledg
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