Protect yourself in tick season

By JANE SIMS

Westchester County is lush with wooded, brushy and grassy areas where ticks thrive, increasing the risk of tick bites that can cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. As summer heads towards fall, knowing the risk of tick exposure can help outdoor enthusiasts plan activities and the level of vigilance needed to protect against these eight-legged foes.

“Tick season is active across Westchester and the Hudson Valley, so it’s important to take precautions before spending time outdoors — even in your own backyard,” said Dr. Laura Rivera Pizzoli, an infectious disease physician for Scarsdale Medical Group and White Plains Hospital.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 31 million people in the U.S. are bitten by ticks every year. Lyme disease is the most common tickborne disease, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated nationwide for Lyme each year. 

In New York state, a rise in tick populations and the diseases they carry have become a growing concern in recent years. In addition to Lyme disease, ticks in New York state transmit other illnesses including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Powassan virus disease.

Tick risk in the Tri-State Area

“Ticks are slightly less prevalent this year compared to last year,” said Thomas Daniels, the director of the Louis Calder Center, Fordham University’s field station for research in Armonk.

The Louis Calder Center’s tick forecast map. COURTESY OF LOUIS CALDER CENTER

Daniels manages the “Fordham Tick Index,” an estimate of the risk of being bitten by a blacklegged tick (or deer tick) in the tri-state area encompassing southern New York, Connecticut and northern New Jersey.

“We have had years when tick numbers were pretty high,” explained Daniels. “Last year was a pretty high year. This year is not quite as high, but we are seeing a lot of activity.”

This past week (as of Aug. 7), the tick risk was a six out of 10. “Six is a moderate risk, so I’d still be careful if I were spending time outdoors,” said Daniels. “I’d still check myself for nymph ticks, use repellant, and stick my pants in my socks.”

Most prevalent in the summer, nymph ticks are young ticks that have not reached the adult stage of life. They are exceptionally dangerous because they are tiny (about the size of a poppy seed) and are hard to see. “Between 25% to 30% of blacklegged nymphs carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease,” said Daniels. “While up to 50% of adults carry the Lyme bacteria, there are far fewer adult ticks compared to nymphs, and adults tend to be active in the fall when we have more clothing on and they’re easier to spot.”

“Blacklegged nymphs first appear in April, they peak in mid- to late June, and they begin to decline in August,” continued Daniels. “The nymphs that are outside now will find a host, feed on the host, and then go into the leaf litter in the woods or other tick-friendly environments where they will become the adult ticks that are active in the fall.”

Tick activity dependent on conditions

Westchester County is a prime locale for ticks and their warm-blooded hosts. “We are living in a tick habitat which also is really attractive to white-tailed deer and mice, the mammals that ticks feed on,” Daniels said. “If the hosts are there, the ticks will be there.”

The relative sizes of deer ticks, also known as black-legged ticks. CDC GRAPHIC

Ticks are heavily influenced by environmental conditions, especially temperature and humidity. 

“Climate change is super-imposed over the normal patterns of tick activity,” Daniels said. “Ticks are cold-blooded, so when the temperature is below 40 degrees, ticks are not active. With increasingly longer periods of warm temperatures, more ticks will survive and populate the environment.”

“This past winter was cold and snowy, and when ticks are below a blanket of snow, they’re relatively immune from the cold because they shut down and become inactive,” Daniels said. “Ticks also do better in moist habitats, which is why we see them in the woods and in grassy areas.”

As a result of climate warming trends, the lone star tick, historically common in the American South and known for its ability to spread alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat and dairy, is becoming increasingly prevalent in the Northeast. 

“Lone star ticks are on Long Island, Staten Island and Connecticut,” Daniels said. “At this point, we don’t have a lone star tick problem in Westchester, but I expect that will change. These ticks are in the areas that surround us, so it’s just a matter of time before they establish a population in Westchester. We’re keeping an eye on it.”

Prevention before and after going outside 

Late summer and fall are still prime months for tick activity, making tick protection a top priority for those who enjoy the outdoors.

“The purpose of the Fordham Tick Index is to explain the relative risk over the course of the season, which is helpful,” Daniels said. “The fact that the tick index is on the decline these days means the trend is likely to continue. Although we are getting out of the high risk period, we are still at risk, so being vigilant is recommended.”

“The best protection against ticks starts before you go outside,” said Pizzoli of White Plains Hospital. “Wearing protective clothing, tucking pants into socks, using EPA-approved insect repellents, and checking yourself, your children and your pets for ticks after spending time outdoors are some of the most effective ways to reduce your risk.”

“One of the most important things you can do after spending time outdoors is a thorough tick check,” she said. “Be sure to check easy-to-miss areas like the underarms, behind the ears, the nape of the neck, the navel, the groin and behind the knees. Showering within two hours of coming indoors and drying your clothes on high heat for at least 10 minutes can also help. The good news is that removing a tick within 24 to 48 hours may prevent disease transmission entirely.”

 When to seek care

“The symptoms of Lyme disease typically appear within three to 30 days after a tick bite,” Pizzoli said. “One of the most recognizable signs is a slowly expanding bull’s-eye rash, but people may also experience fever, headache, fatigue, or muscle and joint aches.”

If left untreated, Lyme disease symptoms can worsen over weeks and may lead to complications such as arthritis, nervous system involvement or heart rhythm problems. 

“If you’ve been bitten by a tick and are concerned you may have been infected, don’t hesitate to contact your physician, as antibiotics may be recommended,”  Pizzoli said. “Treatment for Lyme disease is tailored to the timing of symptom onset and the duration of illness.”