Winners of the 2010 Fight the Bite Poster Contest have been announced.  Two Dutchess County students - Leona Lau, a 5th grade student at Hagan Elementary School in Poughkeepsie and Rachael Ng, a 6th grade student at Rombout Middle School in Beacon - were the two New York State winners in the national poster contest sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the DEET Education Program.   Check the Fight the Bite Poster Contest Website and read the County Executive’s news release for details.    Winning entries by Leona Lau (left) and Rachael Ng (right). Anaplasmosis/Erlichiosis Babesiosis Lyme Disease Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Tick Paralysis Tick Identification

About Tickborne Diseases

Tickborne diseases are a set of distinct diseases with similar signs and symptoms that are transmitted to humans by tick bites. In the United States, these diseases include:  Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), Anaplasmosis/Ehrlichiosis, and Babesiosis.

In Dutchess County, Lyme disease is a common tickborne disease.  The illnesses associated with these diseases can vary from mild symptoms treated at home, to severe infections requiring hospitalization for care, with the potential for death in rare cases.

Preventing exposure to ticks and the places where they live is important to preventing exposure to tickborne diseases.