The tick-borne disease anaplasmosis was seen for the first time in Oswego County.
The disease is bacterial, spread through tick bites to humans. It causes symptoms of fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite.
Going untreated for a long period of time could lead to respiratory failure, bleeding problems, organ failure and rarely death.
The Oswego County Health Department offers tips to combat the chances of becoming infected from tick bites, including washing clothing with 0.5% permethrin, avoiding all grasses and bushy, wooded areas when you are out, checking for ticks daily on yourself, children and animals, showering after being outdoors, and calling the doctor for a fever or rash.
Feeling for ticks should be done because they are hard to see, and checking under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, back of the knees, in and around the hair, between the legs and around the waist is important.
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