WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – A Whatcom County man is recovering after contracting a severe illness caused by ticks.
The Washington State Department of Health said that the man in his 80s was hospitalized with anaplasmosis after working in rural Mason County earlier this month.
It’s not the first time someone in Washington has been diagnosed with the disease but it is the first known instance where the person contracted anaplasmosis within the state.
The disease is spread through infected western blacklegged ticks, and can cause nausea, muscle aches, and a fever.
It can be treated with antibiotics.
To avoid tick-born disease, use tick repellent, wear long pants when you hike, and check yourself and your dogs when you’re done with outdoor activities.