UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Pennsylvania is ranked No. 1 in the nation for tick-borne diseases. As part of Penn State Extension‘s efforts to educate and share information, educators will be hosting a webinar series on ticks and tick-borne diseases this month.
In Pennsylvania, several species of ticks are of concern to both people and animals, and several pathogens are associated with those ticks. The “Tick Webinar Series” is designed to educate the public about tick species and identification, vector-borne diseases, tick ecology, and ways to keep people and animals safe.
“May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, a chance for educators to share information on how to prevent Lyme and other tick-borne diseases,” said Erika Machtinger, assistant professor of entomology. “These webinars are designed to help the citizens of the commonwealth reduce their risk of tick bites while enjoying the outdoors.”
The webinars begin at 11 a.m. and last for approximately one hour. The dates and topics are as follows:
–May 12: “Vector-Borne Disease Basics” will provide a brief introduction to the terms, impacts and relevance of vector-borne diseases.
–May 13: “Protecting Yourself from Tick Bites” will teach participants the three steps to help reduce the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases: avoidance, prevention and reduction.
–May 18: “Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases” will introduce participants to signs and symptoms, diagnostic tools, treatment and prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
To register for these sessions or to view previously recorded webinars on tick-related topics, visit http://extension.psu.edu/tick-webinars.