This spring the state Department of Environmental Protection collected two times more blacklegged ticks compared to last year and this summer it is finding more tick nymphs than last year.
That has officials concerned.
That’s because blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks) transmit Lyme disease, which is increasing in Pennsylvania.
Most people contract Lyme disease from bites from nymphs, officials said. That’s because their active season is when so many people are outdoors and they are so tiny they can be easily overlooked. The bite isn’t felt.
Last year, DEP’s tick surveillance program found 1,200 nymphs across the state.
“We’re on a path to double that,” DEP Secretary Patrick O’Donnell said at a recent news conference.
Ticks are collected using white felt drags that sample low-lying ground cover and understory vegetation for questing ticks.
About 27% of the nymphs (which have not had a second blood meal) carried the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, McDonnell said. About 58% of adult deer ticks captured this spring carried the bacteria as well as Lyme disease, he said.
At the news conference, McDonnell held a bagel with poppy seeds and ticks on it to make a point about the necessity to be vigilant about the tiny ticks.
“There’s actually some dead nymphs lacquered onto this so you can try to find them on this poppy seed bagel,” McDonnell said. “It gives you some sense of scale. If you think about those poppy seeds you might get on a bagel you really, really get an idea of how small these things are and how diligent you have to be in looking, especially this time of year.”
The numbers
According to DEP spokesman Jamar Thrasher, 66% of the the adult blacklegged ticks tested in Montgomery County were positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi); 20% were positive for anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum), and 6% were positive for babesiosis.
In Berks, 58% of adult ticks tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease; 14% were positive for anaplasmosis, and 18% positive for babesiosis, according to DEP.
Evan Corondi, outreach coordinator of the Berks County Conservation District, said he has collected more blacklegged tick populations in the nymph stage this year than in prior years.
“These collections are taken bi-weekly at public-use areas from April through August using the drag method,” he said. “Nymphal tick numbers are starting to subside this time of year, while I start to now find larval blacklegged ticks. Adult collections will occur in the fall and winter, so we will know then if adult tick populations will also be on higher side this season.”
He noted that even though he’s collected more nymphs, he has not noticed more attached to him.
“But that could be because I am vigilant in checking myself after dragging or spending time in wooded habitats,” Corondi said. “The suggestion still stands to apply insect spray or wear treated clothing to keep ticks at bay and check yourself after recreating or working in wooded habitats.”
In Chester County, 52% of adult ticks tested positive for the Lyme disease bacteria; 4% for anaplasmosis, and 10% for babesiosis.
In the 2020 nymph survey, 35% in Montgomery County were positive for Lyme-causing bacteria while in Chester County 20% of nymphs carried the Lyme-causing bacteria. Berks County had too few nymphs captured to reach a conclusion.
So far in Berks for the nymphal survey this year, 42 nymphs have been collected and testing is ongoing.
A total of 125 nymphs have been collected so far for the this summer’s nymphal collection in Montgomery County, and 25 have been collected in Chester County. Testing is ongoing for those samples, according to DEP.
Take precautions
Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, urged regular tick checks when you are outdoors – even in your backyard if the grass is high.
“They go where the tender skin is,” she said.
Acting Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson said ticks are most active during warmer months, which is why we typically see more instances of tick bites and cases of tick-borne diseases this time of year.
“This year in particular, we are seeing increases in the number of Lyme disease reports across the state, and clinicians are reporting that they are seeing more cases of other tick-borne diseases, such as anaplasmosis,” Johnson said. “As Pennsylvanians continue to spend more time outdoors, we are urging everyone to take steps to prevent tick bites, such as wearing insect repellent, putting permethrin on their shoes, gear and clothing, and doing frequent tick checks.”
In 2019, there were 6,763 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Pennsylvania, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were also 2,235 probable cases.
Here are some tips for dealing with ticks:
- Cover exposed skin with lightweight and light-colored clothing.
- Avoid tick-infested habitats such as areas dense with shrubbery or tall grass.
- Use an EPA-approved insect repellent.
- Once returning home, immediately check yourself, children and pets for ticks.
- Take a shower immediately to remove ticks that may be crawling on skin.
- If possible, dry clothing and gear in a dryer to kill any ticks.
In addition to Lyme disease, blacklegged ticks are the most common carrier of anaplasmosis and Powassan virus.
Ticks typically thrive in tall grass, brush and wooded areas, but deer ticks have been found in every county in the state and can live in any habitat.
Common signs of a tick disease include fever, headache, chills and muscle aches. Lyme disease is often characterized by a bullseye-like rash, although Lyme disease may not always present itself with this obvious sign. Additional symptoms for Powassan virus may include vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, or even seizures in severe cases.
While transmission for Lyme disease from tick to human takes approximately 24 hours or more, Powassan transmission from a tick bite can happen in as little as 15 minutes. If you have symptoms that are consistent with a tick-borne disease, it is important to speak to a doctor immediately.
