MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. -- After a very wet spring, the health department in Muskegon County is partnering with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to conduct surveillance and identify the different mosquito and tick species.
Ticks can be the size of a poppy seed and are easy to miss.
The goal of the program is to provide education to the community on mosquito and tick related diseases such as West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, and Lyme Disease, and present information on best practices for controlling mosquito and tick populations, to help stop the spread of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks.
Residents can also submit ticks for identification to MDHHS by sending an email to MDHHS-Bugs@michigan.gov.
Kits and information regarding submitting a tick by mail are available at Public Health Muskegon County.
Any that are identified as blacklegged ticks (formerly known as deer ticks) that are alive will be forwarded for Lyme disease screening. Ticks that are dead when received or are from animals will not be tested.
