MA Tick-Related Diseases Have Exploded, CDC Says

A startling report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that a significant portion of the sharp increase of tick-transmitted diseases have occurred right here in Massachusetts. The CDC report said that between 2004 to 2016, the number of tick-, mosquito-, and flea-transmitted diseases have tripled across America, and that the country "is not fully prepared" for such an outbreak.

In Massachusetts, the number related to ticks skyrocketed to more than 50,000 - which is the third-highest number in the country. There were also more than 1,200 mosquito-related cases, which is higher than average.

Dr. Thomas Mather, a University of Rhode Island professor known as the Tick Guy, recently said the region is "the worst for Lyme disease more than anywhere else in the nation."

According to the CDC, Pennsylvania had the highest number of cases with more than 73,610, and New York was No. 2 with more than 69,000.

More than 640,000 cases of such diseases were reported from 2004 to 2016, in which case nine new germs were found.

“Zika, West Nile, Lyme, and chikungunya—a growing list of diseases caused by the bite of an infected mosquito, tick, or flea—have confronted the U.S. in recent years, making a lot of people sick. And we don’t know what will threaten Americans next,” CDC Director Robert R. Redfield said in a news release. “Our Nation’s first lines of defense are state and local health departments and vector control organizations, and we must continue to enhance our investment in their ability to fight against these diseases.”

The Massachusetts Department of Health has several videos on how to keep mosquitoes and ticks away, as well as how to remove ticks.

Some tips on keeping ticks away include:

• Use EPA-approved tick repellents on your skin and clothes.
• Read and follow the directions.
• Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to spot a crawling tick.
• Check for ticks on yourself, your kids and your pets any time you've been outdoors.
• Some tick bites can make you sick, but finding and removing a tick promptly makes it less likely.
• Call your doctor if you start to feel ill or notice a rash near the bite.
• Play it safe when you're outdoors.

Photo: US Dept. of Agriculture