Summer invites us outdoors to enjoy nature, whether it’s hiking in the woods, playing in grassy fields, or relaxing in our own backyards. However, this season also marks the peak activity for ticks—tiny, blood-sucking arachnids that thrive in warm, humid environments. While often overlooked, ticks can pose significant health risks, as they are known carriers of various diseases that can affect both humans and pets.
During summer, ticks are more active and widespread, increasing the chances of encounters for anyone spending time outside. Their preferred habitats include tall grasses, wooded areas, and even gardens, making vigilance essential for both outdoor enthusiasts and families.
If you live near the woods, have a dog that loves to romp in the grass, or have kids at summer camp, you may already be on high alert for Lyme disease—an often debilitating infection transmitted to humans through tick bites. But it’s not just about Lyme anymore: ticks are being connected with new outbreaks of numerous diseases. Here’s how to keep your family safe and what you need to know about a new spate of tick-borne illnesses.
These Bugs Really Bite
A handful of tick species in the U.S. carry the major diseases:
-
Black-legged ticks (deer ticks): Spread babesiosis and Lyme disease.
-
American dog ticks and brown dog ticks: Can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
-
Lone star ticks: Spread ehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis, and are the biggest culprits in U.S. cases of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS).- “Lone star ticks are aggressive. They know you’re there and will run toward you.” — Jennifer Platt, DrPH
Fortunately, not every bite results in illness. Different tick-borne illnesses cause various nonspecific symptoms, such as fever, because the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that ticks transmit can affect multiple body systems.
Tick-Borne Illnesses You May Not Know About
-
Lyme Disease:
-
Region: Mostly in the Northeast and upper Midwest.
-
Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, joint pain, and a characteristic bull’s-eye rash.
-
Impact: If untreated, it can lead to joint swelling, nerve pain, and long-term mobility issues.
-
-
Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS):
-
What is it? An allergy to red meat and other mammalian products, triggered by a tick bite.
-
Symptoms: Allergic reactions after eating red meat, including hives, stomach pain, or even severe anaphylaxis.
-
Note: AGS can also cause reactions to products with hidden animal ingredients, such as certain medications and personal care items.
-
-
Rickettsiosis (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Spotted Fever Groups):
-
Region: Most cases in North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
-
Symptoms: Fever, headache, nausea, rash, and loss of appetite.
-
Risk: Can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
-
-
Ehrlichiosis:
-
Region: Southeastern and South Central U.S.
-
Symptoms: Severe headache, confusion, fever.
-
Risk: Especially dangerous for children under 10 and older adults.
-
-
Babesiosis:
-
Region: Upper Midwest and Northeast, but spreading south.
-
Symptoms: Fever, chills, sweats, abdominal pain.
-
Risk: Can be life-threatening for the elderly or those with weakened immune systems.
-
Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS): A Closer Look
AGS is different from other tick-borne illnesses. The alpha-gal sugar is found in the saliva of some ticks. In many people, a bite from one of these ticks induces an inappropriate immune response that sensitizes their immune systems. The next time they encounter this sugar—in a hamburger, for example—they respond with an allergic reaction to the meat.
-
Many people with AGS have to avoid not just meat but also a laundry list of products with hidden mammalian ingredients, such as gummies, lotions, and the blood thinner heparin.
-
Some people even react to airborne exposure from frying bacon and wearing perfume.
-
Recovery from a reaction can mean days to weeks of brain fog and other symptoms like diarrhea.
-
The FDA recently approved a treatment for food allergies such as AGS, called Xolair.
-
Some sufferers take a daily antihistamine for minor exposures and carry an emergency dose of epinephrine.
A Mystery Illness: Nikki’s Story
Nikki Smith, a retail manager in Kentucky, experienced mysterious symptoms for years—chest pain, plummeting blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, and worsening allergies. After multiple misdiagnoses, she was finally tested for AGS and found positive. Nikki lives in a heavily wooded area and had several tick bites the summer before her symptoms began. Her story highlights how AGS can be overlooked and misdiagnosed, and how symptoms can be delayed and varied.
Why Ticks Are a Growing Threat
-
Climate change is extending the warm months of high tick activity, increasing tick numbers, and providing them with more opportunities to find and bite humans.
-
Even if you don’t live where ticks are a problem, you may get exposed on vacation.
-
Determining the number of people with AGS is challenging. Still, estimates suggest approximately 450,000 individuals were affected in the U.S. in the summer of 2023, with the highest prevalence in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Protect Yourself Against Ticks
No matter where you live, follow these rules to avoid and handle run-ins with these tiny biting bugs:
-
Know where ticks hang out: Grass, wooded areas.
-
Wear light-colored clothing: Ticks are easier to spot.
-
Tuck pants into socks: Prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.
-
Use a lint roller on clothes: When you get home, remove any lint that has accumulated.
-
Throw clothes in the dryer: High heat for 15 minutes kills ticks.
-
Inspect skin: Especially in armpits, groin, breasts, and folds—warm, moist places where ticks hide.
-
Shower immediately: After being outdoors.
-
Check dogs: They can ferry ticks into your home.
-
Watch for symptoms: Flu-like symptoms or rashes after a tick bite—see a doctor right away.
Hope and Outlook
As scary as tick-borne illnesses can be, there is hope. Some patients with AGS can add pork and beef back into their diets over time, and remission is possible. Prompt recognition and prevention are key to staying safe and healthy outdoors.
“Climate change can extend the warm months of high tick activity, giving the bugs more time to find us, bite us and make us sick.”
Stay vigilant, take precautions, and consult your healthcare provider if you suspect a tick-borne illness.
