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Tell Ticks to Take A Hike
If you've been spending time out on the trails this winter, you're not alone - this is the time of year when adult western blacklegged ticks can be found questing alongside local trails. These ticks will be waiting on twigs, leaves, and blades of grass with outstretched legs in hopes that a human or animal host will brush by. Ticks can't fly, jump, or even crawl very fast, so they have to wait until you actually touch them to grab on. You can avoid many ticks by simply staying on the trail and avoiding contact with trail-side vegetation. Choose wide, well-maintained trails and walk in the center of the trail out of ticks' reach. Get more tips for preventing tick bites.
 
Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Begins for 2020

Laboratory staff began winter surveillance for adult Ixodes pacificus (Western black-legged ticks) in December. Ixodes pacificus ticks will be tested for the presence of bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, as well as Borrelia miyamotoi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. This winter, the laboratory is also focusing on assessing the risk of tick exposures at schools. Six schools have been sampled for ticks, and more are planned to be surveyed in February. In general, ticks have not been detected on mowed and maintained athletic fields, but can occur on surrounding vegetation along the edges of the school grounds. Following surveillance, we provide each school with a detailed assessment of tick risk, including any areas where ticks were found. Adult tick surveillance will continue through February and March. Learn more about the tick-borne disease surveillance program.

News
Holiday Office Hours
The District office will be closed on Monday, February 17th in observance of Presidents Day. View the District calendar.
Mosquito Population Update
Adult mosquito counts for all species are averaging below five per trap night, which is consistent with the five-year average. The numbers are expected to remain low until spring. Surveillance for mosquito larvae is a priority in the winter, as seasonal water sources have filled with rain water. This January, 175 larval samples were submitted to the laboratory. The most frequently occurring species in larval samples was Aedes washinoi, present in 70 of the 175 samples. Culiseta incidens, the cool weather mosquito and Culiseta inornata, the winter marsh mosquito, were also collected frequently this past month. Read more.
Our Work by the Numbers
In January, technicians responded to 109 resident service requests, including 55 reports of mosquitoes or standing water, 10 yellowjacket and wasp nests, and 27 rodent inspections. Read more.
Board Meeting Materials
Finance Reports
Request Service
Staff Present Research at MVCAC Annual Conference
In January, the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) held their annual meeting in San Diego. District laboratory staff presented three scientific posters: 
  • Field Evaluation of Mosquito Gravid Trap Bait Solutions” by Cheryl Tina Sebay, Theresa Shelton, and Angie Nakano
  • Diversity and Distribution of Borreliae across San Mateo County, 2018-2019” by Arielle Crews (former laboratory intern), Tara Roth, Angie Nakano, Cheryl Tina Sebay, and Theresa Shelton
  • “The Identification of Mysteri-eggs Using Conventional PCR with Extraction Protocol Recommendations.” by Arielle Crews and Tara Roth
An additional talk was presented by San Francisco State University graduate student Kacie Ring, “Determination of LC-50 of permethrin acaricide in the western blacklegged tick.”  Kacie worked in collaboration with the District to experimentally expose nymphal ticks to a range of tick repellent concentrations in a laboratory setting.  Her work was made possible by a grant from the Pacific Southwest Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases.
Copyright © 2020 San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District, All rights reserved.


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