Tick activity surges in Maine with arrival of warmer weather
Mar. 22—Deer tick activity surged this week as warmer weather stirred the Lyme-disease carrying arachnids out of their dormant winter state to begin searching for hosts.
Griffin Dill, integrated pest management specialist for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension's tick lab, said submissions of ticks to the lab went from a trickle over the winter to a dozen or more each day this week.
"The season is here," Dill said. "In the last couple years this is what we've been seeing, that in mid- to late-March we start to see that increase in activity and sample submissions."
The tick lab accepts submissions of ticks to test to see what types of ticks are being found, and also for research purposes.
Dill said most likely the ticks that are active currently are deer ticks, the ticks that transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis.
"What we are seeing right now are adult deer ticks that overwintered and didn't find a host in the fall," Dill said. "Dog ticks won't really start being active for another month and a half."
As the deer tick broadens its range — likely in response to climate change — Lyme disease has become more prevalent, with Maine experiencing a record high of 3,218 cases in 2024, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
So far in 2025, Maine has logged 291 cases of Lyme, but the bulk of Lyme cases occur later in the spring, and then throughout the summer and fall.
Lyme disease symptoms include a characteristic bulls-eye rash (although some people who contract Lyme do not get the rash), fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.
If caught early, Lyme disease, a bacterial infection, can be treated with a course of antibiotics.
Dill said the 2024-25 winter likely did not knock tick populations back. Snow acts as an insulator to help keep the ticks alive.
"We certainly had some stretches of cold weather, in the single digits and teens, but we had that snow cover along with the cold temperatures," Dill said. "You need sustained periods of time with very cold temperatures with little or no snow cover, and we just didn't see that. We are not anticipating this winter had any negative impact on tick populations."
Shorter winters are also helping to boost tick populations, Dill said.
Lindsay Hammes, spokesperson for the Maine CDC, said in a written statement that "seeing increased tick activity at this time of year isn't much of a surprise."
"Ticks can be active any time the temperatures are above freezing, and so with this warmer, wetter weather, ticks are likely out and they're hungry," Hammes said. "If you are out gardening, cleaning up the yard, walking the dog or going on a hike, remember to take precautions against tick bites."
Precautions include using EPA-approved tick repellent, wearing light-colored long sleeves and pants when in tick habitat, and tucking your pants into your socks.
Tick habitat includes not just wooded areas, but ticks also can be in your yard, such as in firewood and under leaves. If you are in a high tick area, when you arrive home, check for ticks on your body and clothes, check pets, shower and put clothes in the drier on high heat for at least 15 minutes.
Copy the Story Link
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
3 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Liver Medic Founder Launches UnconventionalMedicine Podcast to Help Patients Get to the Root Cause of Chronic Illness
Coral Springs, Florida, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Liver Medic founder and molecular cell biologist Brendan Gaughran has launched a groundbreaking podcast, UnconventionalMedicine, with co-host Dr. Jason DuBois, a clinical pharmacist and immunologist. The show offers viewers an empowering resource for exploring evidence-based, non-pharmaceutical approaches to health challenges, may it be for insomnia, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, or Lyme disease. The podcast aims to be a trusted resource for those who feel left behind by the conventional medical system. 'We're talking to the people who have done everything their doctors told them to do, but they're still sick,' says Gaughran. 'They've gone from pill to pill, and they're still not getting better.' Each episode features thought leaders, researchers, and practitioners in alternative medicine who offer practical, science-backed approaches to health. Gaughran and DuBois use their medical backgrounds to cut through misinformation and elevate voices that focus on root causes. 'There's a lot of noise out there in the alternative health world,' said Gaughran. 'We're here to filter through it and highlight the people who are actually making a difference.' In a recent episode, Gaughran and DuBois interviewed Joel Salatin who detailed how industrial agriculture has destroyed soil health and contributed to the nutritional depletion of the food supply, a hidden driver behind America's chronic disease crisis. The conversation traced connections between pesticide-laced crops, antibiotic-overloaded meat, and the nation's inability to fight off illness or maintain metabolic health. Another popular episode explored the obesity crisis in America through the eyes of a doctor with over 15 years of expertise. Unlike many health shows that target professionals, UnconventionalMedicine is made for patients. Gaughran and DuBois design each episode to be clear, accessible, and grounded in evidence, striking a balance between scientific rigor and everyday language. 'We know people are overwhelmed,' says Gaughran. 'That's why we do the homework for them, dig into the research, ask the hard questions, and give them tools they can use right away.' The format is simple but effective: a pre-recorded, interview-style discussion with experts from fields like pediatric care, cardiology, nutrition, and functional medicine. Gaughran and DuBois bring in statistics, bust myths, and push for clarity. Each guest provides not only insight but real, actionable advice for listeners. Gaughran is also writing a long-anticipated book that distills his lectures and research into a practical guide for patients. Over the last decade, he's spoken to thousands across the country, from health food stores to public health forums, and noticed consistent patterns in patient struggles. 'Whether it's thyroid issues, chronic fatigue, or digestive problems, the core issues often trace back to the same systems, gut health, liver function, mineral deficiencies,' he says. 'The book will offer small but powerful lifestyle shifts that can help reverse or even prevent many of these problems.' Gaughran emphasizes that many people are unknowingly nutrient deficient due to long-term prescription drug use, which can block the absorption of key minerals like zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins. 'What they think is a thyroid problem might actually be poor liver detox or gut dysbiosis,' he says. 'The key is to stop treating symptoms in isolation and look at the whole system.' UnconventionalMedicine is currently available on YouTube, with plans to expand to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major platforms in the coming months. The show releases episodes regularly and invites both patients and practitioners to join the conversation. 'We're here to be a lifeline for people who've run out of options,' Gaughran says. 'We want to show that there are other paths to healing, ones that are grounded in science, compassion, and the willingness to ask better questions.' The information contained in this release is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individuals should not rely solely on the information presented herein for their health needs. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition or treatment. Media Contact Name: Brendan D Gaughran Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
How close are we to getting a vaccine for Lyme disease?
Diana Moser has, to the best of her knowledge, not contracted Lyme disease, a welcome status quo that might be credited to the tick-repellant clothing she wears in the yard of her East LaHave, N.S., home, or to the insect spray she squirts on herself, or to just plain-old luck. Or, it's possible the good fortune is due to what some are hoping is a "game changer" in the fight against the disease, which is caused by tick-borne bacteria and, if left untreated, can lead to severe heart, joint and nervous system symptoms. Moser is one of dozens of people in Nova Scotia, and more than 9,000 in the eastern United States, Eastern Canada and parts of Europe, who are taking part in clinical trials for a vaccine against Lyme infection. "I think it's incredibly important to have," she said of a vaccine, noting she knows at least four people who have contracted Lyme disease, including one who has had it multiple times. "It's such a tricky disease, like when you get Lyme, so many things can happen. It causes joint pain, it causes inflammation. It really affects your system in a deep and abiding way." There were more than 27,000 cases of Lyme disease recorded in Canada between 2009 and 2024, the majority of those in the last four years. Actual infection rates are higher, however, because cases go undetected or unreported, according to the federal government. In the United States, over 89,000 cases were reported in 2023 to the Centers for Disease Control. In one study, researchers used insurance claims data to estimate that nearly half a million people a year may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease. The vaccine furthest along the research pipeline is the collaboration between multinational pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and European vaccine company Valneva SE, with Phase 3 clinical trials scheduled to run to the end of December. WATCH | How close are we to getting a vaccine for Lyme disease?: A Pfizer spokesperson said if trials are successful the company could potentially apply in 2026 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for approvals to market the vaccine. There is no timeline for a similar application to Health Canada. The clinical trials have targeted areas where Lyme disease is endemic. Participants were chosen for their increased risk, including landscapers in tick-infested areas, people who do a lot of hiking or gardening, or who have dogs that routinely come home with ticks attached. Like all participants, Moser doesn't know if she has been injected with a course of the real vaccine and a booster, or simply been given a placebo, although she hopes to learn which it is once the trials end. Some, but not all, blacklegged ticks carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The ticks are tiny, living in woods, shrubs and long grass, attaching themselves to humans or animals that brush past the vegetation and then feeding on their blood. When they bite, some of their stomach contents, including the bacteria, are eventually discharged into the bloodstream. In most cases, the tick must be attached for at least 24 hours before a person is infected. The Pfizer-Valneva vaccine prompts the human body to create antibodies to a protein on Borrelia burgdorferi, according to Dr. Joanne Langley, a pediatrician with the Canadian Center for Vaccinology, a Halifax-based group helping conduct the clinical trials in Nova Scotia. Ideally, if a Borrelia burgdorferi-carrying tick latches on to the skin, the vaccinated immune system will recognize the bacteria and attack and clear it, preventing Lyme disease, Langley said. "It could be really a game changer for how we try to deal with Lyme infection," she said in an interview, adding that half of people who contract the disease don't even remember being bitten by a tick. "It would be really great if we could be a little more carefree in the woods and just walking around our environment." Found widely in the eastern United States, the first colony of blacklegged ticks in Canada was discovered in the 1970s in an Ontario provincial park on Lake Erie. It has since become established in six provinces. In Nova Scotia, which has some of the highest tick numbers, populations are growing both in rural and urban areas, according to the provincial government. What has perplexed some people who ritually pick ticks off their pets or who have been infected with Lyme is why it has taken so long to develop a vaccine, especially given Lyme vaccines for dogs have been available for years. A Lyme vaccine for humans did hit the market in 1998, but was pulled in 2002 by the company that developed it, citing poor sales. Its reputation had been damaged by reports of adverse reactions, even though the FDA didn't find any evidence it was causing harm. Thomas Hart, a microbiologist who studies Lyme disease at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said the controversy "just chilled the whole field." "That's part of why we're only now seeing momentum again and bringing the Lyme disease vaccine actually through clinical trials in to market," he said. Hart has not been involved with the Pfizer-Valneva work, but said it's a "real promising vaccine" and it will be a "big deal" if approved. But it's not the only vaccine research. For instance, Hart said, scientists are examining vaccines aimed at deterring ticks from simply feeding on humans, protecting people not just against Lyme disease, but from other tick-borne infections. Another strain of research attacks the problem from an imaginative angle — small food-like pellets coated in vaccine to inoculate, of all things, mice. It's an idea conceived by Dr. Maria Gomes-Solecki, a veterinarian and microbiologist at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Mice and ticks, she said, infect each other with Borrelia burgdorferi. Vaccinating mice attempts to break the cycle. That brings down the prevalence in an area of ticks that have the bacteria, which in turn cuts the risk of humans getting Lyme disease. "One strategy alone is not enough to control this disease," she said in an interview. The company US Biologic has been marketing the product for about a year and a half, according to president Chris Przybyszewski. Pellets can tossed using a scoop — at intervals at the sides of trails, for instance — or deployed near homes in small circular "stations." The product is aimed at homeowners, golf courses, summer camps, outdoor athletic facilities and pest-management outfits. The company is also working with governments to deploy it on public lands, he said. The pellets, shaped like acorns, don't provide any nutritional value and don't attract other animals, Przybyszewski said. But the mice will eat them, he said, and research shows they can cut the rate of infected ticks in an area by 75 per cent. There are plans to eventually bring the product to Canada, he said, with US Biologic likely to begin seeking approval this year or next. "I think it's just incredibly important that we pay more attention to this kind of concept, really focusing on products and programs that can make a difference and really create a new way of stopping infectious diseases," he said. For Colin Chase, a participant in the Pfizer-Valneva vaccine clinical trials, ticks are a fact of life, both as someone with a deep love of the woods, and as a volunteer search and rescuer who routinely clambers through dense Nova Scotia forests. Searchers take the full range of precautions, he said, examining each other for the tiny creatures, stripping down before they go inside their homes and throwing their clothes in the dryer and then the washer. Many have a favoured anti-tick spray they swear by. But even with those efforts, ticks can still sneak in and become embedded on the skin. If a vaccine is safe and effective, Chase said, why wouldn't someone take advantage? "Because otherwise the alternative is, 'Oh, I'm not going to go in the woods. I'm going to disconnect myself from the natural environment.' And there's so much beauty in the woods," he said. MORE TOP STORIES
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
More people are visiting Wisconsin emergency departments for tick bites this year, data shows
More people are visiting the emergency department for tick bites this year in Wisconsin compared to last year at this time, according to new data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. According to the data, rates of tick bite-associated visits to emergency departments in Wisconsin are slightly up from last year at 79 visits for tick bites per 10,000 ED visits, according to data from May 26 to June 1. Ticks are usually active in Wisconsin from May to November, but the pests are starting to make their appearance earlier than previous years as Wisconsin experiences warmer winters, according to the DHS. "We've had several consecutive warm winters in Wisconsin, so this could be boosting tick populations again this year," wrote DHS spokesperson Elizabeth Goodsitt. "It's also possible that some of the increase in tick bite-related emergency department visits could be from other factors ... like better awareness of tick-related illnesses, their associated symptoms, and when to seek health care," she added. While ticks are active, Wisconsinites can contract Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread by deer ticks. Rates of Lyme disease have tripled in Wisconsin over the past 15 years, according to DHS. In 2023, Wisconsin had more than 6,000 cases of Lyme disease, the highest on record. About 4,000 cases were reported each year between 2018 and 2022. RELATED: Ticks are out in force across Wisconsin right now. Here's what to do after a tick bite You can scan the QR code in the photo above and fill out the survey to receive more information from the DHS. Health care providers should also report cases to the local health department. Make sure to complete your report within 72 hours of recognizing a case. For more information, you can visit the state DHS web page on disease reporting. Before heading outside, you can treat your clothing and gear with a chemical insecticide called permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remains on gear through several washings. You can also buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. When you're outside, avoid wooded areas with high grass, and walk in the center of trails. After you come indoors, check your clothing for ticks. You can tumble dry your clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks. Additionally, dogs are especially susceptible to tick bites because they are more likely to run through wooded and grassy areas. Talk to your veterinarian about the best tick prevention products for your pet. Check your pets regularly for ticks, especially after they spend time outdoors. Be sure to look for ticks around the tail, ears and eyelids, and under the front legs, back legs and between the toes. If you find a tick remove it immediately. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by deer ticks, which are small, and can often go unnoticed. Symptoms typically develop three to 30 days after being bitten by a tick. The symptoms include: Fever Chills Fatigue Muscle aches Joint pain Nausea Expanding rash, often in the shape of a bullseye This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Rates of tick bites, Lyme disease up in 2025 in Wisconsin, Milwaukee
