ELYRIA, Ohio — Lorain County Public Health has issued a warning to residents about a tick species that’s causing an increase in Lyme disease in humans and pets.
Blacklegged ticks, often no bigger than a poppy seed, are a shift from dog ticks typically found in the region. Dog ticks are larger and don’t carry Lyme disease, according to the advisory.
The threat is already materializing in local infection rates. County health data reveals that while 30 residents have contracted Lyme disease between 2019 and 2024, nearly two-thirds of those cases—19 infections—occurred in 2024 alone. While some residents contracted the disease from tick bites outside Lorain County, many were from in-county bites…