Worst Conditions for Tick-Borne Diseases REVEALED… Is Your Residence at Risk?

Tick ​​season is upon us in the US and while the parasitic arachnids are found in every state, new research has found that some locations are faring worse than others.

Pest experts analyzed the 50 states based on six categories, including contamination risk and environmental factors, and concluded that New York is at high risk for tick-borne diseases this year.

Nearly 16,800 cases of Lyme disease were reported in New York in 2022, more than doubling recent highs of about 8,000 cases.

Pennsylvania came in second, followed by Texas, California and Wisconsin.

Tick-related infections are on the rise in the US.

The parasites transmit the dreaded Lyme disease, which infects about 476,000 people annually, which can cause rashes, flu-like symptoms, facial paralysis and memory problems.

Backlegged ticks, more commonly known as deer ticks, are the most common blood-sucking parasites nationwide, next to the Western Backlegged tick found along the Pacific coast.

Deer ticks carry Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that causes a bull’s-eye rash and flu-like symptoms.

It is a common misconception that ticks only occur in wooded or rural areas. said Dr. Megan Linske, a certified ecologist with the Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases, who explained that they live in leaf litter and shrubs found in your backyard.

Even in the concrete jungle, ticks can land on your skin or clothing after a short walk through the local park.

New York was ranked as the worst because of its milder winters that allow more ticks to survive and reproduce, along with mice and rats that are food sources.

Pennsylvania came in second with 8,413 annual cases of Lyme disease, according to Pest Gnome, a home services marketplace that conducted the study.

Texas came in third for infection risk of 42, despite having a low number of only 23 infections.

To determine which states are the worst for tick-borne diseases, Pet Gnome looked at six categories: infestation risk, environmental factors, tick spread, climate, agricultural factors and pest control.

The team collected categorical data for each state and calculated the score based on 100 points to determine where it ranked in each category.

The state’s overall ranking was then derived from the average score based on all factors and categories.

Experts have warned that if you find a tick on your body, it will take 24 to 48 hours for Lyme disease to enter your bloodstream.

Still, you should remove the tick immediately because the Powasson virus, which resides in the tick’s mouthpiece, can be transmitted into your system within 15 minutes.

If a tick bites you, remove it immediately with your nails or tweezers.

“It doesn’t matter if you leave the ‘head’ in,” says Sam Telford, a professor of infectious diseases and global health at Tufts University.

“It’s like a splinter and will work itself out or be walled off like a foreign body. Disinfect the bite site with an alcohol wipe,” he added.

It is important to monitor your body for any unexplained rash or fever over the next three weeks and seek medical attention if symptoms develop.

Ticks can transmit at least 17 diseases to humans, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which causes severe headaches, high fever and tularemia – also known as rabbit fever and which can cause skin ulcers and swollen glands.

However, experts reported that 80 percent of cases are attributed to Lyme disease, which can be cured with antibiotics.

But if left untreated for months to a year after the infection, it can cause long-lasting symptoms, including swollen joints and arthritis, difficulty concentrating, and nerve damage to your skin, muscles, and organs.

People should be warned that the length of “tick season” varies by state, so just because summer is over doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the woods.

Twelve states have tick problems year-round, including Texas, California and Washington, but “even in the winter, when it gets a little warmer, the ticks are going to come out and they’re going to be hungry,” said Becky Smith, associate professor of epidemiology at the University. of Illinois.

Ticks appear in areas with a lot of deer, hence the name, because their blood is necessary for a female tick to produce eggs.

A single deer can have as many as 100 feeding ticks at any one time during the 16 weeks of the adult tick season — which runs from March to mid-May and from mid-August to November, according to the New York Department of Health.

The female deer tick can release 2,000 eggs each season, meaning one deer can produce more than three million baby ticks.

The best way to prevent tick bites is to check yourself regularly, even after going into the backyard, because most people pick them up around their home, Dr. advised. Linkske.

‘They like to prioritize areas such as behind the knees, groin or armpits. But I also often find them around the waistline or under the hair,” she said.

“By consistently checking for ticks, you can remove them sooner before they have time to feed and transmit pathogens.”

People should also monitor their pets outside the home, take preventative measures by treating them with a tick collar or medication, and wear light-colored clothing during walks to easily identify a tick on your clothes.

“And when you get home, take all your clothes and throw them in the dryer on high heat,” said Dr. Linkske.

“This will dry out any hitchhikers you may have picked up.”