Ticks have been particularly active across the United States this year, and the danger isn’t over yet — especially in Pennsylvania, where another period of increased blacklegged tick activity is approaching this fall.
Even before August ended, the month had recorded the highest rate of tick-bite-related emergency department visits for any August since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking the data in 2017. Through Aug. 23, there were 34 tick-bite visits for every 100,000 emergency department visits nationwide.
That followed a record-setting April for tick bites.
The trend is particularly relevant in Pennsylvania, where blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, are found in all 67 counties. The state Department of Health reported earlier this year that tick-bite-related emergency department visits had increased across nearly all regions of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania health officials say ticks are most active from April through August and again during October and November. Ticks can remain active during winter whenever temperatures rise above freezing.
Tick bites can transmit several illnesses, most notably Lyme disease. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says Lyme is one of the state’s most commonly reported infectious diseases and estimates the actual number of cases could be around 100,000 annually because many cases are never reported. ([Pennsylvania.gov][3])
Ticks can also transmit other diseases, while bites from the Lone Star tick have been associated with alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy that can cause reactions to red meat and other mammalian products.
The geographic risk is expanding as well. A recent CDC report found blacklegged ticks and several disease-causing pathogens in western North Carolina, adding evidence that Lyme disease is becoming established in portions of the southern Appalachians.
Another active period is just weeks away. Adult blacklegged ticks become particularly active in October and November as they search for hosts.
Health officials recommend using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants when entering wooded or brushy areas and checking people, pets and clothing after returning indoors. Showering within two hours of coming inside can also reduce the risk of Lyme disease. Around homes, removing brush and tall grass can reduce tick habitat.
Source: pa.gov, Axios