2025 to be 'hot year for ticks' in US, experts warn
Summer is underway, and experts warn that this year could be particularly bad for ticks, which thrive in warm and humid weather and can transmit dangerous diseases.
The number of tick-borne illnesses reported in the U.S. each year has quadrupled over the past two decades, according to CDC data. Experts believe many more cases are not being reported.
Meteorological summer got underway on Sunday, June 1, and with the rising temperatures comes a danger for outdoor enthusiasts across the country: ticks.
Ticks can be found across the contiguous United States, but several species thrive in the warm and humid climates of the central and eastern parts of the country from spring through fall.
This year is shaping up to be a "hot year for ticks," according to Thomas Hart of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick. (CDC via AP, File)
A tick bite can threaten the health of humans and pets alike in the form of Lyme disease.
"Early symptoms of Lyme disease, unfortunately [are] going to look a lot like the flu, so there'll be things like fever, fatigue, headaches and muscle aches," Hart said. A bull's eye-shaped rash may also appear on the skin around a tick bite, but not always.
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documented over 89,000 new cases of Lyme disease. If left untreated, the disease can have serious, long-lasting effects on health.
Ticks can also transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, tularemia, and anaplasmosis, as well as other ailments, according to the CDC. There is also evidence that a bite from a Lone star tick can trigger alpha-gal syndrome, which causes an allergy to red meat.
Experts recommend wearing long sleeves and pants tucked into socks when spending time in areas where ticks live, such as in the woods or around tall grass. It is also important to check your body for ticks after spending time outdoors. If you have been bitten by a tick and start to feel the symptoms of Lyme disease, experts recommend contacting your doctor.
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