Tick season is here — and it's worse than last year
Summer is here, and that means tick frenzy is, too.
Why it matters: Ticks, which are most active in warmer seasons, transmit Lyme disease through bacteria in their bite. The disease causes rash, flu-like symptoms and joint pain — and can be fatal if untreated.
Driving the news: Tick densities on average are higher this year compared with last year, San Francisco State University biology professor Andrea Swei told Axios.
At Swei's field sites in Marin and San Mateo counties, average nymph densities are up around 20% to 30% this year. Nymphs transmit diseases at higher rates than adult ticks.
The Bay Area Lyme Foundation has recorded a similar increase in regional tick activity, particularly in chaparral areas, local parks and redwood forests.
Zoom in: On the West Coast, Lyme is spread by the Western black-legged tick, which has a three-year life cycle and is abundant along California's north coastal areas, according to Swei.
Caveat: While ticks are traditionally associated with grassy areas and bushes, a 2021 study found Lyme-carrying ticks in beach areas at equal rates to woodland habitats in some parts of northwestern California.
What they're saying: When outdoors, "we recommend wearing white so the ticks are more visible, tick-checking yourself and your gear when you arrive home and two days later, and being vigilant to see a doctor if you have any symptoms," Bay Area Lyme Foundation executive director Linda Giampa told Axios via email.
They often first attach to pets.
You can also treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin as a preventative measure, per the CDC.
What to expect: If you find a tick attached to your body, the best way to remove it is to position tweezers between your skin and the tick's mouth and tug gently to remove the whole thing.
Don't squish it; flush it down the toilet.
Ticks can spread disease within hours of attaching to a person.
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WASHINGTON -- Ticks can be active in any season and it's important to check for and remove the bloodsuckers as quickly as possible — especially after you've been outside hiking, gardening or enjoying nature. 'Humans are outside more in summer so we hear about more tick infections,' said Sam Telford, an infectious diseases expert at Tufts University. But he urges caution year-round because 'every season is tick season.' While tick populations vary a lot regionally, some Northeastern states including Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are seeing 'above average' numbers of American dog ticks this year, said Telford. And New York state is seeing a higher number of reported deer tick bites this year than last year, said Saravanan Thangamani, who studies tick-borne diseases at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Ticks, like mosquitos, need to feed on blood. But instead of a quick prick, they are slow feeders – with hooked mouth parts that attach into the skin of deer, rabbits, dogs and people. There are many different species of ticks found globally and only some spread germs that can make people sick. A main worry is blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, which can spread Lyme disease. Once found mainly in New England and pockets of the Midwest, the ticks are now present over a wider range. A tick bite doesn't always lead to illness. 'If you remove a tick within 24 hours of attachment, it's fairly unlikely that you will get infected,' said Telford. Ticks are usually found low to the ground, in leaf litter or grassy areas. Check your clothing for ticks and do a full-body check including under the arms and behind ears, knees and hair. 'If you're out all day long, try to do a quick check for ticks every few hours,' said Bobbi Pritt at the Mayo Clinic. 'When you go back inside, take a shower. That will wash off any unattached ticks, and you're also more likely to spot any other ticks." Use tweezers to remove the tick and grasp it as close to the skin as possible to pull from the head. If you don't have them handy, you can also use your fingernails, the edge of a credit card or any semi-sharp object. The best approach is to minimize tick exposure altogether. Bug sprays containing ingredients such as DEET can be sprayed on exposed skin to ward off ticks and mosquitos, said Telford. Wear long sleeves and pants, and you can also spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin, a chemical similar to a natural ingredient in chrysanthemums that makes ticks avoid the flowers. Don't forget to pay attention to outdoor pets. Medications can prevent fleas and ticks from attaching to a dog's skin. But it's still a good idea to check the fur after being outside. 'Wherever pets can't easily groom themselves, that's where the ticks will be – on the ears, around the muzzle area, under the collar, between the toes,' said Thangamani. Dogs and cats roaming outdoors can also bring ticks into the house. 'If pets bring ticks in, a tick can live in the house for months until it finds its next blood meal,' which could be another household member, he said. After removing the tick, keep an eye on the skin around the bite. If a rash or flu-like symptoms appear within several days or weeks, see a doctor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend tick testing because results may not be reliable. ___
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