Washtenaw Health Officials Urge Tick Checks

As Washtenaw County residents head back into yards, parks and trails this spring, local health officials are reminding people to add one more step after coming indoors: check for ticks.

Lyme disease is no longer only something residents associate with northern Michigan or deep woods. Washtenaw County Health Department officials say the risk is local, and recent county data show most Lyme disease cases among county residents are tied to likely exposure within Washtenaw County.

“You can get Lyme disease here in Washtenaw County,” said Beth Ann Hamilton, communications coordinator for the Washtenaw County Health Department. “You don’t have to travel.”

County data show 237 Lyme disease cases among Washtenaw County residents in 2025, up from 143 in 2024. Of the 2025 cases, 202 were listed as likely exposed in Washtenaw County. Hospitalizations also increased, from 15 in 2024 to 30 in 2025. The county notes that 2025 data are preliminary and updated monthly.

The county’s data notes say Lyme disease transmission was confirmed in Washtenaw County in 2016. The notes also say a 2022 change in case definitions influenced a notable increase in local cases in 2023.

Hamilton said the local risk is real, and the health department’s “Fight the Bite” work has increasingly focused on ticks in recent years.

The department monitors ticks locally through summer tick drags, where student interns use fabric to collect ticks from sites across the county. Hamilton said this year’s work is expected to begin toward the end of May and will cover 13,180 square meters at 11 sites, mostly parks. Collected ticks are sent to the state for testing.

The department’s 2024 data brief showed 41% of blacklegged ticks tested were positive for Lyme disease, Hamilton said. A 2025 Lyme disease brief is expected in May.

Hamilton said she usually uses the term blacklegged tick, though the species is also commonly called a deer tick. Blacklegged ticks are the main local concern because of their connection to Lyme disease.

A recent Washtenaw County Conservation District article noted that ticks have become established in Southeast Michigan fields and lawns, challenging the idea that ticks are mostly an “Up North” problem. The district identified blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks and lone star ticks as species residents are most likely to encounter in Southeast Michigan.

Ticks do not fly or jump. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many ticks wait on grasses and shrubs and climb onto people or animals that brush past them.

Hamilton said residents should not panic if they find a tick. Lyme disease transmission usually requires a tick to be attached for more than 36 hours, making quick removal important.

The CDC recommends using clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, then pulling upward with steady, even pressure. People should not use petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish or other substances to try to make the tick detach.

Hamilton said residents can submit a tick to the state for identification, but tick testing should not be the main response. Testing can identify the species, but it does not show whether the tick was attached long enough to make someone sick.

Early Lyme disease symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes and a rash, according to the CDC. While many people associate Lyme disease with a bull’s-eye rash, CDC materials note that Lyme-related rashes can take many forms and can appear anywhere on the body.

Hamilton said rashes can look different depending on skin tone, making it important to also watch for symptoms such as fever, body aches or fatigue.

Residents can reduce risk by wearing long sleeves and pants in tick habitat, checking skin and clothing after being outdoors and checking children and pets carefully. Hamilton said pet owners should contact a veterinarian for pet-specific tick prevention advice.

The health department recommends residents check the county’s online “Fight the Bite” and “Lyme & Ticks” resources for more information. Hamilton said the goal is not for residents to avoid the outdoors, but to know the risk and take simple steps to protect themselves.