CDC reports surge in emergency room visits from tick bites across U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says emergency department visits for tick bites have reached their highest level since 2017, prompting health officials to warn of an intensified tick season.
Emergency rooms in most U.S. regions are seeing the highest number of visits for tick bites since 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency attributes the increase to a broader geographic spread of ticks, which officials link to warmer temperatures.
"It's definitely concerning to see new ticks in new areas and then diseases that follow," said Rebecca Osborn, an epidemiologist with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Osborn, who monitors tick populations and the pathogens they carry, noted that climate-driven temperature rises are enabling ticks to expand into previously unaffected areas. Among the species under surveillance is the lone-star tick, known to transmit the alpha-gal carbohydrate that can trigger a red-meat allergy, and the Powassan virus, which can cause neurological symptoms such as memory loss, speech difficulties and seizures.
"Sadly, despite all of our education about tick bite prevention, we are seeing all tick-borne diseases increase," Osborn added.
In Wisconsin, camp staff are teaching children to perform regular tick checks. Camp counselor Maggie Windon described finding ticks on campers' legs and removing them, while 17-year-old Torie Hall assists with inspections of hair and neck areas.
"I've seen so many just crawling on kids' shirts, just flicking them off. But it's a lot more than I've seen before," Windon said.
The CDC advises that removing a tick within 24 hours can reduce the risk of Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness, and recommends the use of repellents and protective clothing as primary preventive measures.
