First tick infected with rare illness discovered in Illinois

CHICAGO (WAND) — A tick infected with a rare illness has been found in Lake County.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that the state’s tick surveillance system has discovered the first tick in the state to test positive for Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis (EME), a bacteria transmitted by blacklegged tick bites. EME can lead to human ehrlichiosis, a disease that can cause fever, chills, headaches, and nausea.

Ehrlichiosis can be treated with antibiotics, but can lead to severe illness if untreated.

The blacklegged tick, also called a deer tick, was collected on May 17 by Lake County Health Department staff who receive funding through IDPH’s Environmental Health Tick Surveillance Grant program. The tick was recently tested and confirmed positive for EME by the CDC.

The disease was first discovered in an Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, resident in 2009. All known human cases of EME have occurred in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In Illinois, ehrlichiosis is primarily seen in Southern Illinois and spread through the bites of infected Lone star ticks.

“The discovery of the first tick in Illinois carrying EME, a rare and serious disease, is a great reminder of the importance of our active tick surveillance program in Illinois,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “Tickborne illnesses such as Lyme disease and EME can cause severe illness, especially if untreated. Anyone who spends time in wooded areas or brush, including hunters, should be sure to check for ticks every few hours and remove any that you find. If you experience common symptoms of tickborne illnesses - such as fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches, nausea or vomiting – see your healthcare provider immediately and let them know about tick exposure so that you can obtain testing and treatment that can prevent serious illness.”

Learn more about tick removal and symptoms here.