Tick Season Takes Its Peak In The US; Doctor Cautions Public

Experts are giving the public some precautions as the tick season has reached its peak in the United States.

According to a CNN report, the number of tick-borne illnesses has currently been on a rise, with dagnoses of the Lyme disease at 17% higher in the first week of June compared to the same period last year.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the US and is transmitted on humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Data from health care technology company Athenahealth showed that there has been a sharp increase on the number of Lyme cases in the past three weeks.

It is said that trends from the past three years had indicated that this year's seasonal peak was falling just before the Fourth of July holiday.

Emily Mader, program manager for the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, said that the blacklegged tick is considered as public health enemy number one because "it's competent to vector many pathogens."

"They can pass a lot of different illnesses to people. They're very abundant in the Northeast, upper Midwest and Pacific Coast. And they really love to live in habitats where people recreate or live," Mader said in a CNN report.

Meanwhile, a previous CDC report also warned that cases of babesiosis are increasing.

Babesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells and are spread by certain ticks, according to the CDC.

Factors of the tick season

An NBC news report said tick season is typically worst from late May to early July.

Experts have observed that tick populations expand beyond rural areas and into cities over the last several years.

According to Dr. Ryan Miller, who is an infectious specialist from Cleveland Clinic, the threats from ticks and mosquitoes are becoming less seasonal as temperatures rise due to the impact of climate change.

Studies have also shown that warmer weather often gives ticks a greater opportunity to extend their lifecycle, which will later give them more chances to find hosts and spread illnesses.

For her part, Maria Diuk-Wasser, a vector-borne disease specialist and professor at Columbia, pointed out that adult ticks are most active in the spring while the teenage ticks during the summer period are more threatening.

What to do when you get ticks

A report on News Channel 5 said it must be ensured that the tick would be removed quickly to avoid sickness. It noted that the best tick-repellent products for people are the ones that contains DEET or the N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide.

Experts said the repellant must be applied for at least every eight hours.

For the part of animals, veterinarians also recommend that dogs and cats should get a prescription tick medicine, especially if they usually roam outside.

Studies showed that pets and people who get sick with a tick-borne disease might not experience or manifest symptoms for a long time. This could take up to one month for people and up to six months for pets.