Tickborne Diseases

Powassan virus disease is a rare but serious illness caused by the bite of an infected tick. Three species of ticks found in Vermont can transmit the virus, but only one of these species – the blacklegged tick – commonly...

Anaplasmosis is a tickborne disease caused the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It is spread by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, the same tick that transmits Lyme disease, babesiosis, Borrelia miyamotoi disease and Powassan virus. It is also possible for Anaplasma...

Borrelia miyamotoi is a bacterium recently recognized to cause disease in humans. Although it sounds similar to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia miyamotoi is more closely related to the bacteria that causes tickborne relapsing fever. The...

Public Health GIS Maps The Health Department supports several web apps that address important public health issues using GIS technology. Some example use cases are: See if cyanobacteria blooms might affect your summertime water recreation plans. Find out if others...

Six tick species are known to bite humans in Vermont, and five can transmit diseases. But nearly all tickborne diseases reported to the Health Department are caused by the blacklegged tick.

Babesiosis in Vermont is caused by an infection with a parasite called Babesia microti. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, the same tick that transmits Lyme disease and anaplasmosis.

Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by an infection with Ehrlichia bacteria. The bacteria are transmitted by the bite of a lone star tick, and may also be transmitted through blood transfusions.

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tickborne disease in Vermont. In 2017, Vermont had the highest rate of reported confirmed and probable Lyme disease cases in the U.S.

People can be exposed to the bacteria Francisella tularensis that cause tularemia in a number of ways, and symptoms of the disease vary depending upon the method of exposure.

Be Tick Smart! Take steps to prevent bites, learn how to do tick checks, how to properly remove a tick, and the signs and symptoms of tickborne diseases.