ILLINOIS (WAND) - The University of Illinois is looking for volunteers to help them study ticks in the state.
It's part of the I-TICK program which tests the ticks for pathogens. The data will be used to inform public health policy in Illinois.
The are looking for people in the state that are outside on a regular basis for example, park district employees, farmers, hikers, dog walkers, etc.
Participants will collect ticks found on themselves or their animals, record their location and date. The participant will then return the ticks to be studied at the University.
“The goal of the program is to gather information about the presence of ticks of public health concern in Illinois,” said Dr. Lee Ann Lyons, a graduate student in the Department of Pathobiology who earned her veterinary degree at the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. “By knowing more about the timing and location of ticks, public health personnel can better inform the public about tick prevention strategies and provide information that guides efforts to reduce the number of ticks.”
This is the second year for the program, last year 900 ticks were plucked from 70 volunteers living and working in 28 Illinois counties.
Individuals who wish to participate need to volunteer through their nearest “hub.” To find the nearest hub, or for organizations interested in serving as a hub, contact I-TICK coordinator Peg Gronemeyer by email: mag6@illinois.edu.
