No insect on Long Island causes as much human misery as ticks, and to help residents prevent bites this summer — peak season for the bloodsucking parasites — Suffolk County health and legislative officials are rolling out a sweeping public health effort.

The campaign arrives as the first evidence has emerged of a rare but extremely serious tick-related pathogen — Powassan virus — which has been found by entomologists in tests of Suffolk ticks. The virus is said to be present at a very low level. There have been no cases of Powassan infection in Suffolk residents, health experts said.

 

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