USA

Scientists see warning signs for Lyme disease, tick-borne illnesses

(NEXSTAR) – As the weather gets warmer, scientists have a serious warning before heading outside. “Unfortunately, it looks like we’re having a very bad year” when it comes to ticks, said Nicole Baumgarth, professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The number of people visiting emergency rooms due to tick bites was alarmingly high in April. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s tracking system showed weekly emergency room visits due to tick bites were the highest on record since 2017. This was true for all regions of the country except the south-central part of the United States.

“These numbers are just the tip of the iceberg of tick-borne diseases we’ve seen so far this year,” said Baumgarth, director of the Johns Hopkins Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research and Education Institute.

Ticks, tiny blood-sucking insects, are of great concern not because they suck your blood, but because they can carry diseases such as Lyme, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or alpha-gal syndrome, which causes red meat allergy in humans.

Where emergency visits for tick bites are on the rise in the US

A vaccine against Lyme disease is under development and is promising, but not yet ready. Even if or when it becomes available, it would require three shots plus an annual booster, leading some public health experts to warn against it as a silver bullet. “Large populations other than the most enthusiastic outdoorsmen are unlikely to receive this vaccine,” Baumgarth said.

Meanwhile, more people are getting bitten and getting sick.

“Frustratingly… we can’t and haven’t bent the curve,” Baumgarth said. “We are seeing increasing numbers of tick infections and tick-borne diseases every year… and this trend is unlikely to change.”‘

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Tick populations vary throughout the year, and their numbers depend on several factors. It is widely believed that climate change is having an impact: Ticks like warm, humid weather, and more may be seen after a mild winter. As the climate warms, ticks are able to survive farther north than in previous decades.

More deer and mice to feed on may also be a factor. Baumgarth said the white-footed mouse population is increasing. The rodent is the preferred host of the tick that causes Lyme.

To protect yourself against ticks and related diseases, the CDC recommends:

Avoiding grassy, bush or wooded areas where ticks are common
Treat clothing with 0.5% permethrin, an insecticide.
Check your clothes for ticks when you come inside
Dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that may be on clothes when you come inside.
Shower within two hours of coming indoors to prevent your risk of catching Lyme
Perform a full body check including under arms, around ears, hairline, belly button and behind knees