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The Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department at 311 Alcott St. in Kalamazoo, Michigan, shown in a file photo. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI — Health officials are warning people to watch out for tick and mosquito bites as spring temperatures rise, bringing out the bugs that can be dangerous. County health officials are taking proactive steps to monitor and mitigate risks from ticks and mosquitoes through surveillance of the insects. Cases of Lyme disease, transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, hit a decade high in the county in 2023 with 183, according to the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department. Tick and mosquito bites can transmit serious diseases like Lyme disease, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and the West Nile virus, the health department said. People heading out for outdoor activities should keep that in mind and be vigilant to protect themselves, the department said. "Our team will be monitoring mosquito traps and performing tick drags throughout the spring and summer months, in order to better understand what diseases are in our communities and better inform residents on steps they can take against them," Environmental Health Division Manager Lucus Pols said. Tick dragging is a method to drag cloth material in a surveillance area, to collect ticks for identification and testing. "We say 'Small Bite, Big Threat' for a reason," Pols said. "Lyme disease cases have been climbing steadily in Kalamazoo County, highlighting the need for proactive prevention." Cases of Lyme disease have more than doubled since 2019, the county health department said. Cases climbed from four in 2014 to 183 last year, health officials said. Typical symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic skin rash called "erythema migraines." If untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart and nervous system. People can wear insect repellent, cover up with long clothing and eliminate standing water to reduce the risk of tick and mosquito bites, the agency said. Ticks and mosquitoes are most active from April to September, with peak mosquito activity from dusk to dawn. Exposure can happen year-round, health officials said. For more information about tick and mosquito surveillance in Kalamazoo County, visit the health department website or call 269-373-5210. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.