Tick-borne diseases: Lyme disease is not the only threat

While Lyme disease is probably the most commonly reported and well known disease that’s transmitted to humans by ticks, there are many tick-borne diseases carried by different varieties of ticks that you should be aware of. Other diseases in this category include babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, anaplasmosis, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, Soft and Hard Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, and tularemia. Other, less common diseases, like Powassan virus, can also cause serious illness.

The CDC tracks data on tick-borne diseases. While the reported number of cases of most of these diseases has remained stable from 2019 to 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, the number of cases of Lyme disease has nearly doubled, increasing from 34,945 cases in 2019 to 65,551 cases in 2022. There are a number of potential reasons for the increase in cases. One possibility is increased awareness. As more people have become aware of the risk and symptoms of Lyme disease, more are seeking care after a tick bite.

Climate change and other environmental factors like deforestation and reforestation, development, and expanding habitats for the animals that are hosts to the ticks may also play a role in the growing number of cases of tick-borne diseases. Researchers believe that warming temperatures may be expanding the tick habitat, potentially speeding up their lifecycles, and allowing them to survive in habitats they previously couldn’t further into the northern and western U.S. and Canada.

Tick-borne disease symptoms

Ticks transmit pathogens when they bite. The period of time it takes for the infection to be transmitted depends on what bacteria, virus, parasite, or other agent is being transmitted. Powassan virus, for example, can be transmitted quickly, while a tick generally needs to feed on the host for 36 to 48 hours for the spirochete that causes Lyme disease to be transmitted.

Symptoms of tick-borne diseases vary because while many of the diseases are carried by the same type of tick, the underlying causes of the diseases are different. The more common tick-borne diseases can cause a range of signs and symptoms.

• Lyme disease: Early symptoms can include erythema migrans (bullseye-shaped rash around the bite); fever, aches, and chills; joint pain; and fatigue. If Lyme disease is not treated, more serious symptoms can develop, including chronic joint pain, inflammation, and arthritis; hepatitis; neurological problems (meningitis, Bell palsy/ facial muscle paralysis), myopericarditis (inflammation of the heart) and arrythmias; inflammation and/or redness of the eye; numbness, tingling, and/or pain in the extremities; and problems with speech, memory, and concentration.
• Anaplasmosis: Fever, severe headache, vomiting, and diarrhea can be early symptoms of this disease. Later symptoms include liver damage, low platelet counts, and anemia.
• Ehrlichiosis: The early symptoms can include fever; chills; severe headache; muscle aches; vomiting; diarrhea; loss of appetite; confusion; and rash, which is more common in children. Late stage symptoms can be serious and include meningoencephalitis (brain inflammation); uncontrolled bleeding; respiratory failure; and organ failure.
• Babesiosis: Symptoms include fever; chills; body aches; fatigue; headache; nausea; and darker than normal urine.
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: If not treated, this disease can be fatal in more than a third of people infected. Symptoms include high fever; vomiting; and severe headache. As the disease progresses, life-threatening organ and respiratory failure can develop.

What to do if you find a tick on your body

If you’re bitten by a tick, follow these steps:

Use tweezers to carefully remove the tick by grabbing under its head and pulling out the mouth that’s embedded in your skin without twisting the tick. Don’t squeeze the body of the tick because that can cause it to transfer pathogens into your bloodstream. Do not try to remove the tick using a match or petroleum jelly, because the tick may become agitated and release more infected fluid from its body.

After the tick is removed, wash the area of the bite and your hands with soap and water and swab the area with rubbing alcohol or antiseptic. Keep an eye on the area of the bite for a week or two to check for a rash.

If you live in an area with a high level of tick-borne disease, you may want to see your primary care provider after a bite. If you can, seal the tick you removed in a plastic bag or container and bring it with you to the appointment. Your provider may want to have the tick tested to see if it carries an identifiable tick-borne disease.

Lowering your risk of being exposed to tick-borne diseases

The key to lowering your risk is to take proactive steps to decrease your risk of exposure to tick bites. These strategies can help:

• Manage ticks’ habitats. Areas with a lot of grass, brush, and woods are common tick habitats. That includes your own backyard or neighborhood park or playground. On your own property, keep grass cropped and clear brush in any areas where you spend time. You can create a border around the areas of your yard where you relax or your children play by laying down a 3-foot-wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between grassy and wooded areas and the areas your family uses.
• Wear protective clothing when you’re outside. If you’ll be gardening, hiking, or spending time in a grassy or wooded area, you can lower your risk of tick bites by wearing clothes that keep you well covered. That includes long sleeves, long pants tucked into socks, closed shoes, and a hat to protect your scalp. Lighter colored clothes make it easier to spot any ticks that get on you. When possible, walk in the middle of trails to avoid contact with brush and grass.
• Consider treating your clothes and gear to repel ticks. Especially if you’re a frequent hiker or camper, you may want to treat your clothes, footwear, backpacks, tents, and other gear with the insect repellent permethrin. Carefully follow all instructions for this potent insect repellent. There are also insect repellents that are safe for use on your skin, such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. The Environmental Protection Agency has an online tool to help you choose the most appropriate repellent. Before using insect repellent or repellent treated clothing on children, ask your pediatrician if it’s safe.
• Do a tick check on yourself and your pets after time outdoors. Every time you’ve been outside, carefully check your clothes, your body, your children, and pets for ticks. On people, common spots for ticks include your hair and hairline, under your arms, the back of your knees, your belly button, the ears and surrounding area, the waist, and between your legs. Wash clothes immediately in hot water or run them through the dryer on a hot setting to kill any ticks. Look through your pet’s fur. It may also be helpful to brush your pet before coming into the house.

Get the expert support of PinnacleCare

Like some other medical conditions, tick-borne diseases can sometimes by hard to diagnose. Seeing the right providers, asking the right questions, and getting the right tests to get an accurate diagnosis is imperative. Your PinnacleCare Health Advisor can help you with all of that for any of your health needs, not just if you’re concerned about tick-borne diseases this summer. Contact our Relationship Management team to learn more.