Michigan braces for fall tick surge
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Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios
This year's tick season has been a doozy — and another surge is coming in the fall.
Why it matters: Tick bites can pose serious health risks, transmitting pathogens that cause illnesses including Lyme disease and triggering alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat.
By the numbers: Nationally, August had the highest rate of emergency department visits for tick bites since the CDC's tracker began in 2017, a major year for ticks.
- The CDC tracked 34 August ER visits for tick bites per 100,000 total ER visits through Aug. 23.
- That came after a record-breaking April for tick bites.
Zoom in: In Michigan, 2,632 Lyme disease cases have been reported so far this year, more than double the 1,114 reported in all of 2022, according to preliminary state surveillance data.
- Those figures are provisional and can decline as cases are investigated. Final confirmed and probable case totals have been lower in recent years.
The big picture: Lyme disease risk is expanding beyond areas of the country where the disease has historically been concentrated.
- A new CDC report found blacklegged ticks and several disease-causing pathogens in western North Carolina, adding evidence that Lyme disease is emerging in southern Appalachia.
What's next: Blacklegged ticks — also known as deer ticks — enter another peak activity period in October and November.
- In Michigan, blacklegged ticks are active from March through November and are found in wooded and brushy areas.
To stay safe, wear long sleeves and long pants in areas with dense tick populations, use insect repellent, and check yourself, children and pets for ticks after spending time outdoors.
- Around the yard, clear brush and tall grass where ticks can live.
💠Joe's thought bubble: I got my first (known) tick bite this spring after disc golfing. The discovery really freaked me out.
- I was given antibiotics and everything was fine, but "tick checks" are now part of my routine after spending time outdoors.
Go deeper: How to remove a tick.