Tick bites are nearly double this year already, raising concerns that this summer could be the worst yet for tick-borne diseases. A bite from an infected tick can land people in hospital, and researchers are seeing even more ticks than normal.
Rising Numbers of Ticks
Peak tick season is approaching across the United States, and researchers are expecting a particularly brutal summer. However, is it the worst ever? Dr. Thomas Mather, an entomologist at the University of Rhode Island known as "The TickGuy," told The Independent that it is too early to make that call, but the numbers are worrying. He has received more submissions of nymphal blacklegged ticks, which carry Lyme disease, to the university's TickSpotters platform so far this month than the weekly average for the same period over the last decade.
"I don't know the answer just yet, if it's a trend going up – but I suspect it is, just based on the number of nymphal blacklegged ticks I've seen in the past couple of weeks," he explained. Mather noted that federal data shows emergency room visits related to ticks are up this year, with visits nearly doubling from 70 in April to 131 in May.
Other researchers who count ticks are also noticing a significant jump in specimens. Dr. Saravanan Thangamani, a professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University in New York who runs the Upstate Tick Testing Laboratory, has warned that more ticks are being sent to the lab than at the same time last year, marking a 217 percent increase. "Based on the trend in tick submission I have observed thus far, I expect a tick season that is worse than the previous years," he cautioned.
However, not all experts are ready to declare a record-breaking season. Dina Fonseca, a professor and entomologist at Rutgers University who is part of the New Jersey Ticks 4 Science! submission project, said people claim it is the worst year for ticks every year. She noted that there is no standardized tick surveillance, and while they are seeing more submissions, it is unclear if that is simply because more people are reporting them.
"Frankly, we don't have enough data over time to be able to say, 'Is it a worse year than normal or a better year than normal?' We don't know," explained Fonseca.
Threats Posed by US Ticks
Regardless of the exact severity, the heightened activity between June and July leaves Americans exposed to 90 species of ticks and the diseases they can carry. Although ticks are found on both coasts, they are largely concentrated in the eastern United States. Some species, like brown dog ticks and blacklegged ticks, are more widely distributed. Not being prepared for ticks while engaging in outdoor activities or camping could carry severe consequences, although death is an extremely rare outcome.
People bitten by ticks may be exposed to Powassan virus, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis, Tularemia, Lyme disease, and other pathogens that can cause human disease. It is possible for individuals to be affected by multiple diseases at once. The nymphal blacklegged ticks are the ones Fonseca says people really need to worry about, as they can be infected with four different disease agents, including Lyme disease. Untreated Lyme disease may lead to facial paralysis and irregular heartbeat.
Although larger than larval ticks, nymphal ticks are only the size of a poppy seed, making them hard to spot even for people who are aware of their region's ticks and where they live. "Look at the bowtie of Lincoln on a penny; that's the size of a nymphal blacklegged tick," Fonseca said.
Exposure and Prevention
While ticks are easy to miss, it can take about two days for any transmission to occur after a bite. People who find ticks on their skin should remove them with tweezers as soon as possible. Those who develop a rash or fever after removal should consult a doctor.
When it comes to prevention, knowledge is power. Reducing exposure is the best way to avoid negative health outcomes. Mather advises following what he calls the "three Ts": wear tight clothing, tuck in shirts and pants legs, and wear clothes treated with 0.5 percent permethrin repellent. "If you don't apply repellent, they can be ruthless," Fonseca said, recalling a time when she picked 30 to 40 ticks out of her hair. Mather remembers a trip to Fire Island that resulted in exposure to "literally hundreds" of fast-crawling ticks.
Unfortunately, a changing climate brings additional chances to pick up these blood-sucking hitchhikers. Warmer temperatures lead to a wetter world, and parasites thrive in those conditions. Ticks have been observed moving northward, while southern aridity is their enemy. "One of the easiest ways to kill a tick is to dry the heck out of them," said Fonseca.
