MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Both the Berkeley and Morgan County health departments are responding to what can best be described as a bad tick season.
Epidemiologist Robert Deener said it’s a bad year.
“I’ve spoken to a couple people and during some of my investigations and sometimes they mentioned they found 10 on them,” Deener said recently on Panhandle Live on WEPM Radio in Martinsburg.
Deener said ticks carry dangerous diseases.
“You’re talking about Lyme disease, you’re talking about Rocky Mountain spotted fever, spotted fever, rickettsiosis,” he said. “There’s also anaplasmosis, there’s ehrichiosis, a whole bunch of tick-borne illnesses.”
Deener said “Alpha-gal,” causes an allergic reaction.
“ Meat and dairy, it can cause an allergic reaction, sometimes pretty severe,” Deener said.
That’s why the health departments are providing for $25, assessments for a prophylactic treatment.
“We have began to offer assessments for dispensing of doxycycline after a tick bite, which is an antibiotic,” Deener said.
The assessments are not a complete treatment and the health departments do not offer tick testing. However, it could be an important first step.
“The earlier you treat it, the better the chance that you can prevent it (and) the major side effects from all these illnesses,” Deener said.
According to social media posts, both health departments are “providing assessments for the dispensing of doxycycline, after a tick bite, in an effort to prevent Lyme Disease.”
A clinical team member will screen client to determine if treatment criteria has been met.
The client must weigh at least 100 lbs.
The visit does not include treatment or testing for tick diseases.
Walk-ins are welcome, but an appointment ensures a shorter wait time. Call 304-258-1513, Option 1 for Clinical in Morgan County and 304-263-5131 in the Martinsburg area.