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Tick-borne illness cases in the United States are up 25% since 2011,
according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
including a rare disease now spreading in the U.S. Northeast. The CDC says cases of babesiosis, which can cause illness ranging from asymptomatic to severe, have increased significantly in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. The disease is already considered endemic in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

The tick-borne disease, which is growing cases but still rare, is transmitted
from the bites of black-legged ticks.

Babesiosis infections can be asymptomatic or cause mild to severe illnesses
that can be fatal. Symptoms, which can last for several weeks, typically show up
between one and four weeks after a bite. The most common symptoms include
fever, chills, sweating, fatigue, and myalgias. They also include hepatosplenomegaly, or an enlarged liver and hemolytic anemia, a disorder that
causes red blood cells to be destroyed faster than they can be created.

Yale scientists Goudarz Molaei told WTNH one of the factors that could be
causing the increase in tick-borne diseases could be shorter winters.
“Understandably because of climate change and other environmental conditions we are seeing increases in tick abundance and tick activity.” Molaei said.

The CDC states on its website: “Because warmer average temperatures can
mean longer warm seasons, earlier spring seasons, shorter and milder winters, and hotter summers, conditions might become more hospitable for many carriers of vector-borne diseases.”

Molaei said that, in Connecticut, for example, one in two ticks on average is
infected with at least one disease agent. “We have to be aware of the areas that
might be infested with ticks, so wooded areas, tall grass areas, try to avoid those
areas at any cost,” he said. Molaei says if you have no other choice, you’ll have to consistently perform a tick check on yourself and your pets, as they can often
bring home ticks with them.

The CDC is urging anyone spending extended time outdoors to use tick
repellents and wear long sleeve shirts and pants if they can.

If you are bitten by a tick, the CDC recommends the following:
*Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can.
*Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick.
*After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol
or soap and water.
*Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. If you would like to bring the
tick to your healthcare provider for identification, put it in rubbing alcohol or place
it in a sealed bag/container.