Tick ​​season begins in New York - carriers of dangerous diseases: how to protect yourself

It's only spring, but adult ticks, which can carry a host of serious diseases, are already on the rise in most areas of New York. Writes about it Patch.

Many insects that appear with warming play an important role in ecosystems and are harmless to humans and animals. Scientists say a healthy tick population is an indicator of the overall health and stability of an ecosystem, and they are an important food source for many reptiles, birds and amphibians.

But for the most part, they are not friendly with humans, felines, dogs, and other red-blooded mammals. Not all ticks bite, but there are many species that are dangerous to animals and humans - this is the American dog tick, blacklegged tick, brown dog tick, Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum ), Lone Star tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick and Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus).

These types of biting insects can transmit severe and sometimes fatal diseases. Ticks are active any time temperatures are above freezing, but especially from March to mid-May and mid-August to November. Adult ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and others.

These disease-causing bloodsuckers are a big enough problem in the northeast that tick bites accounted for 101 of every 100 emergency room visits last year.

On the subject: How to properly treat a tick bite and when to see a doctor

So far in 2022, tick bites accounted for 25 out of every 100 emergency room visits.

More about tick-borne diseases

Lyme disease: if left untreated, Lyme disease can cause a wide range of symptoms depending on the condition of the infection, including fever, rash, facial paralysis, and arthritis. Other symptoms include chills, headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes.

Every state in the country reported at least one case of Lyme disease in 2019. This is the latest date for which full data is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Outbreaks of Lyme disease were most common in the northeast. Lyme disease is spread by black-legged ticks.

New York City has a high incidence of Lyme disease, according to the CDC. In 2019, there were 2847 confirmed and 1396 probable cases.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: most people affected by this disease experience fever, headache, and rash. If the correct antibiotic is not prescribed in a timely manner, this can be fatal. Before tetracycline antibiotics became available, mortality from Rocky Mountain spotted fever ranged from 20% to 80%, according to the CDC.

Cases are found throughout the continental United States, but five states—Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia—account for more than 50% of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is transmitted by different ticks depending on the region of the United States.

The CDC reported that New York had between 1,9 and 5,2 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever per million people.

Diseases caused by Powassan virus: symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, general weakness, usually progressing to meningoencephalitis, a very serious neurological condition resembling both meningitis and encephalitis, with symptoms including confusion, convulsions, and paralysis. If left untreated, it can lead to death.

Cases of the Powassan virus in the United States have been reported primarily in the states of the Northeast and the Great Lakes.

The New York State Department of Health has reported one to two cases of the virus each year.

Ehrlichiosis: There are three strains of the disease, one of which is potentially fatal. Ehrlichiosis deaths are highest among children around the age of 10 and adults over 70, according to the CDC.

Most often, infection occurs in the southeast and south-central United States, but three states - Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas - account for 35% of all cases.

In New York, most cases of ehrlichiosis occur in Westchester County, the lower Hudson River Valley, and Long Island.

Here are more tick-borne diseases that may be in New York:

• babesiosis;
• Borrelia Miyamoto disease;
• tularemia.

How to prevent tick bites

There is little you can do to control the tick population. It is best to take steps to reduce the chances of ticks biting you. Ticks are commonly found in grassy, ​​bushy, and wooded areas, and you're likely to encounter them while walking your dog, camping, gardening, yard work, or hiking in the woods.

Boots, clothing, and hiking gear can be treated with insecticides containing 0,5% permethrin. The protection will remain effective after several washes, and clothing and equipment pre-treated with permethrin is also available.

The Environmental Protection Agency has search toolto find the best tick and insect repellent for you and your family. One important caveat from the CDC: Do not use lemon eucalyptus oil (OLE) or paramenthanediol (PMD) on children under 3 years of age.

Check your body for ticks

When you're ready to enter the house, check your clothes for mites and remove them - or put dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes and this will kill them.

On the subject: Lyme disease ticks in New York: how to protect yourself and what to do if infected

If the clothes need to be washed first, use hot water because neither cold nor warm water will kill the mites.

Check yourself for ticks. Taking hot showers for two hours is effective in preventing Lyme disease and may also reduce the risk of other tick-borne diseases, according to the CDC.

Use a mirror and examine your entire body, including the underarms, around the ears, inside of the navel, back of the knees, hair and around them, groin and genital area, and around the waist.

Check your pets

Ticks also often latch on to cats and dogs, and there are no vaccines to treat tick-borne diseases in pets. Tick ​​bites are difficult to notice, and symptoms may not appear for a week or even three weeks. Therefore, keep a close eye on your pets for changes in appetite or behavior.

First of all, it is better to prevent the bite. Talk to your veterinarian about the best methods and preparations for tick protection. Important: Cats are very susceptible to many chemicals, so check with a professional before using any kind of tick protection.

If you find that your pet has been bitten, remove the tick immediately. Tick ​​removers are commercially available, but fine-tipped tweezers work just as well. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure until it is ejected. Be careful not to jerk the tick, as the insect's mouthparts may break and the tick will remain in the skin.

After removing the tick, wipe the bite site and hands with alcohol, soap and water. Get rid of a live tick by soaking it in alcohol, placing it in an airtight bag or container, wrapping it tightly with tape, or flushing it down the toilet.

How to get rid of ticks in your yard

A number of commercially available pesticides and natural, non-toxic products will help control mites in your yard, but check with your local health or agricultural authority for application times, the best products to use in your area, and any residential pesticide regulations.

Another idea: Create a tick-safe zone with simple landscaping techniques that eliminate tick habitats or create wood chip or pebble barriers between your yard and wooded areas. For the most part, it's a matter of keeping your lawn clean and tidy.