LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Metro Health Department wants you to send them ticks.
Environmental Health Specialist Leslie Jenks says if you’re looking for ticks, look in the “long grass.” Jenks has worked for Louisville Metro for over 21 years with a variety of different roles. At the moment, she is looking for any variety of ticks in Jefferson County and she needs your help.
On Tuesday, Jenks is looking for ticks in Louisville’s Taylor Park, dragging on the ground what basically amounts to a bathroom towel.
“Really, it’s actually a chenille, a chenille corduroy. And so the ticks like to burrow in there. When they find out, there is no blood meal there, they reemerge and we catch them then,” Jenks explains.
Certain ticks carry certain diseases and the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness wants to track whether ticks and disease are prevalent in any part of the city parks. So, if residents find a tick in Louisville, they are encouraged to send them in.
“Things can be submitted to the state, but we have the capacity to do that here and have the information easily accessible to the residents of Jefferson County,” Matthew Vanderpool explains to Spectrum News 1.
Vanderpool is also an environmental health specialist for the city.
“There should be posters set up in most of the kiosks in the metro parks with a QR code so that way they can scan the QR code and that will take them to all the information they need to print out a sample sheet, how to package things up and where to take it,” Vanderpool continues.
To submit a tick, place it in a small leak-proof container and cover the sample with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Label the container with your name on it, along with this completed form and drop off the sample to LMPHW at 400 E. Gray St. Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Complete one form per tick or tick bite.
The more Jefferson County residents who submit ticks, the better understanding public health has of what kinds of diseases residents may encounter during their visit to Metro parks.
The health department has rules regarding ticks. Here are the T-I-C-K rules of thumb:
Take precautions and wear insect repellent
Inspect your body for ticks and rashes after being outdoors
Carefully remove the head and body of the tick
Keep monitoring your health for fever, body aches and rashes and seek medical attention if they develop.
Follow this link to learn more about the “Spot a Tick and Share Program”