Tick-Borne Disease

Print Materials

Handout 

Check Your Body for Ticks

Dimensions: 8.5×11

This front & back handout summarizes the areas of the body to check after spending time outdoors in areas where ticks are known to live. It also discusses what to wear during tick season to reduce the risk of tick bites. 

Check Your Body for Ticks
    • In and around the hair
    • In and around the ears
    • Under the arms
    • Inside the belly button
    • Around the waist
    • Between the legs
    • Back of the knees
Silhouette of a farmer showing the areas of your body to check for ticks, including in and around the ears, in and around the hair, under the arms, inside the belly button, around the waist, between the legs, and back of the knees.
Protective Clothing for Tick Season
    • Hat, with as much hair as possible tucked in 
    • Light-colored long sleeve shirt
    • Light-colored long pants, with the pants tucked into long socks or boots 
    • Closed-toe shoes and long socks
Silhouette of a farmer showing the correct protective clothing to wear during tick season, such as a hat, light-colored long pants (pants tucked into socks or boots), light-colored long sleeve, and closed-toe shoes and long socks
Download Handout

Additional Resources: Tick-Borne Disease

FarmSafe Podcast

S5E10 | Herd Health and Alpha-Gal: Managing Ticks on Midwest Farms

Ticks are becoming a growing concern across the Midwest as species like the Lone Star tick and Asian Longhorned tick expand their range northward. In this episode, FarmSafe explores what that means for both livestock producers and rural communities, with expert insight from Grant Dewell of Iowa State University and Iowa State Public Health Veterinarian Andrew Hennenfent. The conversation highlights how ticks can impact cattle health, the symptoms to watch for, and management strategies.

Episode Page

S5E9 | Ticks on the Rise, Part 2: Prevention and Detection for Farmers

In this episode, we continue our conversation on the growing threat of tick-borne diseases for farmers across Iowa and the Midwest. Building on our previous discussion with Dr. Kathryn Dalton from the University of Iowa College of Public Health, this episode focuses on practical steps farmers and outdoor workers can take to reduce their risk of tick-borne disease. Dr. Dalton also discusses the complexity of tick-borne diseases, including co-infections and emerging conditions that can complicate treatment. We will hear about a new research study aimed at better understanding the risks, behaviors, and prevention needs of Midwest farmers. Listeners are invited to participate and contribute to efforts that could improve protection for agricultural communities (link to study included in the resources).

Episode Page

S5E8 | Ticks on the Rise, Part 1: Why Farmers Should Pay Attention

In this episode, we explore why tick-borne diseases are becoming an emerging concern across Iowa and the Midwest, particularly for farmers and other outdoor workers. Dr. Kathryn Dalton from the University of Iowa College of Public Health joins the conversation to break down what’s driving these changes and why they matter. As tick populations grow and their active season expands, farmers are facing increased exposure risks simply due to the nature of their work. While there is still much to learn about tick exposure in Midwest farming populations, this episode lays the groundwork for understanding the scope of the issue and why awareness is more important than ever. In the next episode, we’ll take a closer look at prevention strategies, symptoms to watch for, and what to do if you suspect a tick-borne illness.

Episode Page

S3E17 | Lessons on Lyme

Lyme disease is the number one vector-borne illness, and as our guest says in the episode, it is often underreported. In our last episode of this season, we spoke with Scott Heiberger, Communications Manager of the National Farm Medicine Center. He wrote about his and his wife’s experience with Lyme disease in his 2019 Spotlight for the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH): “Tick-borne diseases on the rise, but often misdiagnosed, underreported.”

Episode Page

S3E16 | Got Ticks? How and Why to Take Action

Mandy Roome, PhD, is a researcher at the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety. Her current project is on tick-borne diseases on Vermont farms. She shares about the tick-borne diseases common to each region and how farmers can protect themselves, since avoiding outdoor work is not likely for a farmer.

Episode Page