Disease carrying insects on the rise in CT
The state’s tick population is seeing a bump this season, thanks to such factors as warmer weather conditions and the recent discovery of new tick species in Connecticut. With the increase comes a greater danger for tick-borne illnesses, officials said.
As of Friday, the state has received 1,037 ticks — more than double the 436 collected by April 30 last year, said Goudarz Molaei, research scientist and director of the passive tick surveillance program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. There are many reasons why ticks are so bountiful this season, Molaei said.
“Persistent warming weather conditions — warmer and shorter winters and longer, hot and wet springs and summers — environmental changes, and host availability, among other (factors), are affecting abundance, distribution, seasonal activity patterns, and interactions among tick species,” Molaei said in an email. “Continuous warming temperatures may not only lead to the continued geographic range expansion of some ticks and establishment of invasive ticks but may also extend their active season, thereby altering host availability and abundance; interactions among vectors, pathogens, and hosts; and the prevalence of infection in ticks.”
Compounding the problem is that, recently, several tick species have been introduced into the state, including the Lone Star tick, the Asian longhorned tick and the Gulf Coast tick.
Ticks are small, parasitic arachnids that feed on humans and other species. The rise in ticks is a potential health concern, as the creatures can carry a variety of illnesses, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. These illnesses carry many of the same symptoms, including fever, headaches and body aches. Lyme disease also often presents with a red bullseye-shaped rash.
Molaei said some of the newer ticks establishing themselves in Connecticut are capable of transmitting a variety of illnesses, and may be associated with other medical conditions. For instance, the Lone Star tick has been associated with a red meat allergy in some people.
Dr. Zane Saul, chief of infectious diseases at Bridgeport Hospital, said he’s had multiple people report tick bites last week alone, though, to his knowledge, none of them have presented with Lyme disease.
“This is when they come,” he said. “They start late April/early May. The ticks are out there and people are starting to do lawn work and work in the garden.”
Saul said there was some confusion last year, as many tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, have several of the same symptoms as COVID-19. He said he expects to see that same confusion this year, but people need to be vigilant and aware about ticks, just as they have been with COVID.
In addition to being on the lookout for symptoms, people should check themselves for ticks whenever they’ve been outside for a while, health experts say. If people find ticks, they should remove them carefully and submit them to the state. Details for submitting ticks can be found online.