The picture shows a wooded, brushy areas that would be a favorite habitat for ticks. Nearly half of the ticks (47%) collected in Garrett County in a recent 3-year period were positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, a chance for Lyme patients and educators to spread information on how to prevent Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Spring brings warmer weather and higher humidity, which are favorable conditions for many species of disease-carrying ticks. While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in Maryland and the United States, the East Coast’s climate is favorable for ticks that can spread other bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
The rate of tick-borne diseases in Garrett and Allegany counties has greatly increased since 2010.
- In 2010, Garrett County reported 3 cases per 100,000 population; Allegany reported 24 cases per 100,000 population.
- In 2021, Garrett County reported 280 cases per 100,000 population, whereas Allegany reported 182 cases per 100,000 population that year.
While this increase may be partly due to other factors such as an increase in provider testing and reporting, it is well known that new species of infected ticks are spreading to geographic regions where they weren’t found before, largely in part due to climate change.
The Garrett County Health Department’s Environmental Health program collects ticks from select areas throughout the county each year and sends them to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing. From 2019 to 2021 a total of 531 ticks were collected. Nearly half of these ticks (47%) were positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Other bacteria were found in much smaller numbers.
As with other illnesses, prevention and early detection and treatment are the keys to avoiding serious illness or complications. Prevent tick bites for yourselves, your family members, and pets by taking precautions when spending time in tick habitat. Ticks are most often found in tall grasses and woody or brushy areas, and they do not climb trees or stray far from the ground. Check yourself and your pets after spending time in potential tick habitats and safely dispose of any ticks you find.
If you find a tick on yourself, do not be alarmed. Most tick-borne diseases can only be transmitted after the tick has been attached for 36-48 hours. Check with your doctor to see if an antibiotic is necessary if you’ve been bitten by a tick. If you experience fever, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, or rashes 3-30 days after spending time in tick habitat, contact your healthcare provider. Dogs can get ill or die from tick-borne diseases too, so talk to your veterinarian to make sure your pets are protected from tick-borne diseases throughout the year.
For more detailed information about ticks in western Maryland, visit the full article at bit.ly/gcticks. This article is a condensed version of the technical article written by Julie Kebisek, MPH, epidemiologist for Garrett County Health Department.
