Rare tick-borne disease confirmed in Illinois
[CanLyme Note: The Lone Star Tick has now made its way to Canada. Remember, ‘No Tick is a Good Tick’. Prevention is the key.]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (KWQC) – Beware of Lone Star ticks. They could be infected with a rare, but serious disease.
Last summer, a Kankakee County resident tested positive for Heartland virus, the first case reported in Illinois. As part of a study, ticks were collected from the area and sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing. The virus was detected in Lone Star ticks collected from Kankakee County.