ALPENA — State health officials urge Michiganders to be vigilant in checking for ticks after spending time in the great outdoors as ticks can be carriers of a number of diseases.

Tickborne diseases can be spread when an infected tick bites.

The black legged tick for example, can be infected with lyme disease or anaplasmosis.

Lyme disease is the most common tickborne disease in the state and its most common early symptoms include a bull’s-eye rash, fever, chills, and muscular pain. Anaplasmosis is the second most common tickborne disease in the state and symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain.

Lyme disease cases in Michigan have increased steadily over the past five years, according to a 2021 state report on tickborne disease, as tick populations have also increased across the state.

The report identified Alpena and Alcona counties as areas at risk for lyme disease, which means there were at least two confirmed local exposures to the disease or black legged ticks were found infected with lyme bacteria.

Montmorency and Presque Isle counties were identified as counties with potential risk for lyme disease because they were either adjacent to a confirmed county or blacklegged ticks were present but not infected with lyme disease bacteria.

However the report also revealed two or more black legged ticks have been collected in field surveys in the past five years in Alpena, Alcona, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties.

The report also identifies people who spend time outdoors in wooded areas as the most at risk for the disease.

State Medical Entomologist Emily Dinh said ticks like shady, woody, grassy, and moist areas. She said people can wear repellant or clothing to prevent ticks from attaching to them.

“After visiting those areas, conduct a very thorough tick check after being outdoors — even if it’s in your own backyard,” she said. “Ticks can attach anywhere on the body, but they particularly like places that are hidden.”

Dinh said those places could be under the armpit or hairline, around the navel or waist, and under the groin. She said since ticks can be extremely small, she said to take a closer look if something feels like a scab.

A tick can be removed by using tweezers or a tick tool. She said to get the tool as close to the skin and to pull the tick straight out, which should reduce the chance of disease transmission.

Ticks can also carry other diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and a disease that causes a red meat allergy. Dinh said symptoms of most tickborne disease can start out with symptoms such as fever, rash, fatigue, headache, or muscle or joint pain.

She said to visit a doctor if symptoms begin within 30 days or so of being exposed to a tick or areas where ticks may be located.