Ticks can transmit various illnesses, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and alpha-gal syndrome (a red meat allergy).
New ticks in Indiana, new diseases One of the newer ticks found in Indiana is the Gulf Coast tick, which was first identified in 2017-18, although they were probably in Indiana before then, according to Green.
“They look very similar to the American dog tick,” Green said.
In Indiana there were two pockets of lone star ticks — near Lake Michigan and a larger population in southern Indiana.
Green said black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks) like to “feed where they land.”
Although ticks are common in Indiana, few illnesses are reported.
Currently, nymph stage ticks are the most prevalent, and because of their small size, they present a greater risk of disease transmission.
Alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease are among the illnesses that ticks can spread.
An earlier version of this story contained an error that led to its updating.
For those going outside in Indiana, there is both good and bad news. Unfortunately, ticks are being discovered everywhere, particularly on people and their pets. The good news is that there haven’t been many tick-related illnesses or diseases reported to date.
However, that will most likely change unless people take precautions, and even then, there’s a chance that a tick bite could result in an infection or even a virus.
In reference to this year’s tick populations, Lee Green, senior medical entomologist at the Indiana Department of Health (IDOT), stated, “Lately there’s not only a ton of calls, but field staff are collecting tons.”.
Because they are smaller than adults and more difficult to detect when they are crawling on people or pets, ticks are primarily in the nymph stage at this time of year, according to Green. Green claimed that because nymphs are so tiny and frequently disregarded, they spread more diseases to humans even though adult ticks have a twofold higher infection rate.
“The season of nymphs is when we see the most Lyme disease in humans,” he stated. The IDOH is attempting to disseminate information regarding prevention since “they’re starting to come out now.”.
There are new diseases and ticks in Indiana.
The Gulf Coast tick, which was first discovered in Indiana in 2017–18, is one of the more recent ticks to be discovered there, though Green says they were likely present in Indiana earlier. As far north as Hamilton County, Gulf Coast ticks can be found.
“They resemble the American dog tick a lot,” Green remarked. They currently inhabit 14 counties spanning from central Indiana to the state’s southwest. The more Gulf Coast ticks we search for, the more we discover in other places. “,”.
As the first tick “to invade the whole U.S.,” the Asian longhorned tick is the newest in Indiana. A. “over the previous eight decades,” Green said. The only places where the Asian tick has been discovered thus far are Switzerland, Ohio, Dubois, and Spencer counties.
Despite not typically biting humans, Asian longhorned ticks can be problematic for livestock. Ticks can spread human pathogens under laboratory conditions, according to Green, but this hasn’t been found anywhere else. It does spread a parasite that harms cattle.
Dr. According to IU Health Bloomington emergency medicine physician Robert Adams, between 300 and 400 tick-related cases occur in Indiana annually. Even though hundreds of tick-borne illness cases might seem like a lot, Adams said that’s actually a small number.
The majority of Lyme disease cases occur in northwest Indiana, making it one of the most prevalent diseases. When a person is bitten by a tick carrying Lyme disease, they typically get a “target” rash, which is red in the middle and encircled by a white circle and then a red circle. Among the most prevalent diseases in southern Indiana are ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Viruses and meat allergies can be spread by ticks.
Some ticks are carrying two different viruses that they can spread to humans, which is a new concern for Hoosiers. The Bourbon virus, named for the Kansas county where it was initially discovered, and the Powassan virus cause fever, aches, headaches, and rash. According to Adams, antibiotics won’t help with these.
According to him, “It will just have to run its course,” and it’s unclear if there will be any lingering consequences.
Alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy, is another disease that ticks can spread to humans. A sugar molecule that is left in the bloodstream after an infected tick bite causes a fresh immune reaction. An allergic reaction that can range from hives and upset stomach to potentially fatal anaphylaxis occurs if that person consumes food that contains a-gal, such as red meat and other mammalian products. Until an allergic reaction occurs, it is impossible to determine who has the condition.
According to Adams, most people with alpha-gal can no longer eat beef or pork, but some can still eat chicken. Some people, he thinks, might have the allergy and be unaware of it, experiencing hives or heartburn without knowing why.
According to him, “I’m finding more and more people have it.”. A blood test for antibodies is the only surefire way to find out.
According to Green, lone star ticks are the vectors of alpha-gal. Lone star ticks were found in two areas of Indiana: one near Lake Michigan, and the other in southern Indiana, where they were more prevalent. However, in and around Monroe County, those two populations are expanding, merging, and becoming more prevalent.
Which ticks can be found in Monroe County, Indiana?
There are six ticks in Indiana that can infect humans with diseases. They are all capable of spreading multiple pathogens.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia are spread by the American dog tick.
The Powassan virus, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Lyme disease are all spread by the black-legged tick.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is typically spread by brown dog ticks.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is one of the bacterial illnesses known as rickettsioses, which are spread by the Gulf coast tick.
Tularemia, ehrlichiosis, the Bourbon virus, and a rash disease linked to southern ticks are all spread by lone star ticks. Alpha-gal syndrome can also be spread by ticks.
There are no known diseases that the Asian longhorned tick can spread to humans, and it has only been discovered in four counties in southern Indiana. Cattle and other livestock are concerned, though.
According to Monroe County Health Department Kody Clark, as of May 8, his organization had received reports of 18 lone star ticks and 20 American dog ticks. The health department received the reports via the Citizen Tick Reporter Web app, which can be found at https://tinyurl . com/tr4ykamr.
According to Clark, the majority of reports of American dog ticks were found inside homes. The majority of lone star ticks have been found on human skin. Through June, Clark expected more reports, and he hopes that users will use the app to report ticks they have discovered.
According to IDOH maps, Gulf Coast ticks are established in Lawrence, Greene, and Hendricks counties, so even though Clark hasn’t seen any reports of them in Monroe County, he thinks they are there. In an email, he stated, “It is just a matter of finding and identifying them.”. Our attention is also focused on the Asian longhorned tick. “.
This month, Clark will be visiting parks in the Bloomington area with drag cloths to better understand which ticks are common there. Clark discovered primarily lone star ticks last year, followed by American dog ticks and black-legged ticks.
Tips for avoiding tick bites.
The best ways to prevent diseases, according to Green and Adams, are to keep ticks away from people or to prevent them from having an opportunity to attach themselves. According to Adams, “We’re not seeing a lot in the ER but we’re being told that people are picking off ticks,” so it’s time to begin preventative measures. “.
When outdoors, the best defense is to wear long sleeves and long pants that have been sprayed with 5% permethrin. The CDC advises using repellents that contain DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-methane-diol on exposed skin patches.
Green also suggests that anyone who walks in high grassy areas wear boot gaiters soaked in permethrin. Similar to tucking the legs of pants into socks, the gaiters help keep ticks off the outside of clothing.
It is a good idea to check for ticks after being outside, even in your yard. According to Green, deer ticks, another name for black-legged ticks, prefer to “feed where they land.”. The back of someone’s knee is one example of a difficult-to-see area. It is even more challenging to spot if it is a nymph.
Keep ticks out of your yard.
According to Green, even if a tick bites a person, they may still contract an infection that could lead to further health problems. He reiterated that prevention is the best course of action and added that people can take additional action by changing their landscape.
Ticks require high humidity because their mouth parts allow them to absorb water vapor. Ticks will go away if the humidity is removed. It will be beneficial to remove ground coverings that retain moisture and mow the grass in the sun to dry it out. Place play areas and swing sets in bright spots rather than in the shade.
By constructing a physical barrier with wood chips or gravel close to patios or play areas, homes with wooded, shaded areas can reduce the likelihood that ticks will flourish there. Be cautious, according to Green, as ticks can be spread by people, pets, and deer over wood chips or gravel.
How should a tick bite be handled?
Dr. Dot Adams of IU Health advises taking care to remove the entire tick if you do find one that is attached and not just crawling on your skin.
“Watch and wait approach” is what Adams suggests people do if they discover a tick. A tick is unlikely to spread a disease if it hasn’t been attached for more than 48 hours. However, symptoms may not show up for one to two weeks.
According to him, “the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses is kind-of low,”. “It is likely that you will receive nothing. “.
However, Adams advised visiting an urgent care center or walk-in clinic if symptoms (such as rash, fever, or swelling at the bite site) do manifest. Most people can lessen the effects of any transmitted diseases with prompt antibiotics, and if necessary, a blood test can be performed to pinpoint the specific illnesses, Adams said.
Adams reminded everyone that antibiotics cannot treat alpha-gal or the new viruses.
Carol Kugler can be reached at ckugler@heraldt.com.
