Environmental Health Services
Vector-Borne Illness
Ticks and mosquitoes can be more than just a nuisance. They can spread germs that make you sick. Fight the bite by taking steps to prevent tick- and mosquito-borne disease.
Mosquitoes
Almost everyone has been bitten by a mosquito. Mosquitoes can spread pathogens (germs) through bites. A person who gets bitten by a mosquito and gets sick has a mosquito-borne disease.
Mosquito-borne diseases that may occur locally in Ohio include:
For latest case numbers in Ohio, check here.
Treat & prevent standing water
It is possible to safely treat standing water within 24 to 48 hours to prohibit the development of mosquitoes before the biting adults begin to emerge. The health department offers mosquito dunks that can be used to treat standing water that cannot be emptied such as small fishponds, rain barrels, bird baths, tree holes, elevator shafts, planter reservoirs, and rain gutters.
You can prevent these and other mosquito-borne diseases by using proven self-protections to avoid mosquito bites and by eliminating or treating standing water sources.
Local municipalities and villages may conduct mosquito control programs. For more information about mosquito control you should contact the appropriate officials where you live.
To request mosquito dunks for your home e-mail env@henrycohd.org or call 419.599.5545
Ticks
Ticks bites can make people sick. Diseases spread by ticks are an increasing concern in Ohio and are being reported to the Ohio Department of Health more frequently in the past decade, with Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) being the most common. Other tickborne diseases such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis are also on the rise.
The best way to prevent tickborne diseases is to prevent tick bites. In Ohio, tickborne illnesses are most often transmitted between early spring and late fall since ticks are most active during warm months.
Take action to decrease your risk of infection: protect against tick bites, check for ticks, remove ticks as soon as you can, and watch for symptoms.