By JoAnn Snoderly, WV News
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — With spring approaching, it’s time to be on the lookout for ticks in the Mountain State.
There are multiple tick species found in West Virginia, but it is the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick, that is to blame for increased reports of Lyme disease in the state.
In 2010, West Virginia saw 128 confirmed cases of Lyme disease, compared to 703 in 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Prevalence of Lyme disease is increasing in dogs, as well. Of the 83,785 tests from the state reported to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, 14.55% were positive, compared to just 5.05% of the 20,094 tests reported in 2012. The percentage of positive tests has increased each year since 2013, according to council data…
