Are tick borne diseases contagious?

In the age of highly-contagious COVID-19, folks are wondering if tick borne diseases are contagious.

The answer to this question is not black or white. Some of the most common tick borne diseases in the United States are Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and the potentially deadly Powassan virus. Though these tick borne diseases are not contagious, there is one very serious disease that has been found to be contagious.

Novel bunyavirus causes a contagious tick borne disease.

Recent reports from China say that the tick-borne illness, Novel bunyavirus, is causing Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS). So far, about 40 people have been diagnosed with SFTS in China this year. SFTS with hemorrhagic fever not only has a fatality rate of 10 – 30%, it can be spread from person to person or animal to person. While most reports of this tick-borne illness come from Asia, the virus has been reported in the United States too, with less severe symptoms.

SFTS virus is contagious — SFTS virus, caused by Novel bunyavirus, is contagious.

How is the SFTS virus contagious?

The Novel bunyavirus is contracted by humans from infected Asian ticks. The resulting SFTS virus can cause, “fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and elevated serum hepatic enzymes,” according to an article on Firstpost. Early symptoms are fever and fatigue, which can also attributed to other tick-borne infections. Patients, who experience hemorrhagic fever with SFTS, die of multi-organ failure. The disease is passed to humans from infected animals or humans by blood contact, through open wounds, and through the respiratory system. While there is potential for this disease to be carried by an infected person from other countries, officials are not yet sounding the alarm about that threat. The CDC reports that there have been asymptomatic infections. With no vaccines or specific treatment regimens, officials only recommend avoiding tick bites at this time.

Avoid tick bites — Avoiding tick bites is our best hope in tick-borne disease prevention.

Protect your family with Central Mass tick control.

As with many tick borne illnesses, prevention is key. The lack of cures and

Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Central Mass tick control enthusiast

vaccines for illnesses, like Lyme disease and Powassan virus make tick control an essential part of our lives. This means having your yard treated with barrier tick control spray during the spring, summer, and fall, and employing tick tubes for winter. Avoiding tick bites is truly our best hope. Even though Novel bunyavirus and resulting SFTS seem to be happening so far from Central Mass, we must realize the potential for infection in the United States.

Are you a tick magnet?

Many Central Mass residents wonder what makes them a total tick magnet. Are you one?

Central MA tick control Those, who love the outdoors, might often encounter dreaded ticks. Perhaps you have found ticks on yourself, your kids, or your pets this year. There is no doubt that tick populations are on the rise in Central Massachusetts. Not only are there more ticks, but over the last few years we have seen ticks that were not previously found here. Science says that global warming is a big reason that ticks are migrating farther and living longer. Are you doing things that make you an utter tick magnet? Do you find them often after a hike or backyard barbecue? Have you found them on your children or pets? Here are three things that can make you and your family tick magnets.

Hiking in shorts can make you a tick magnet.

Even in hot weather months, I highly recommend wearing long pants and long sleeves when you venture out into nature. Arm yourself with a layer of protection against ticks by covering your skin. This is not to say that you won’t encounter a tick, but it will be less likely to attach to your skin if you are wearing clothes to protect you. You should also use tick repellent when hiking, camping, or spending time outdoors in Central Mass.

Not protecting your dog with flea and tick repellent can make him a tick magnet.

There are a number of avenues by which you can protect your four-legged family members from ticks. Whether you choose to put them on a doctor prescribed regimen or apply topical repellent, you should always be sure to keep them protected year-round. Dogs are susceptible to tick-borne illnesses too, such as Anaplasmosis. Plus, the fact that they are covered in fur makes is more difficult to spot a tick until it has already taken a blood meal, at which time it could have infected your dog with a harmful disease.

dogs can be tick magnets too — Dogs can be tick magnets too

Not protecting your yard with Central Mass tick control can make your yard a tick magnet.

kids can be tick magnets — Don’t let your kids be tick magnets

The best thing you can do for your home and family to keep them safe from ticks, is hire a reputable tick control company, who offers barrier tick spray. This level of protection is the best available for you yard. It includes spraying EPA-registered insecticide around the perimeter of your lawn, working in towards your home to cover all areas. Effective Central Mass tick control will knock down ticks on contact and continue working for a few weeks between sprays. If you love spending time outside your Central Mass home, tick protection for your yard is a must. What’s more, you can protect your home all year long with tick tubes in the fall and winter. Tick tubes will break the tick life cycle to help reduce the number of ticks that will emerge in the spring.

Elena Delle Donne: Chronic Lyme Disease Medical Exemption Denied by WNBA

WNBA superstar, Delle Donne, takes 64 pills per day to manage chronic Lyme disease. The league’s panel of doctors denied her medical exemption request due to COVID-19.

When asked if she thought her superstar player status swayed the doctors’ decision to keep her active, Delle Donne said that she hopes that this is a case of having “Lyme illiterate doctors” on the panel. Lyme disease is still greatly misunderstood by many in the medical community. Some doctors still claim that there is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease, attributing its symptoms to other diagnoses, including mental illness. In an open letter, Delle Donne says, “Taking 64 pills a day is the only way to keep my condition under any sort of control. It’s the only way to keep myself healthy enough to play the game that I love — healthy enough to do my job and earn the paycheck that supports my family.” This medical opt-out denial could mean that Donne either must play and risk her health during COVID-19 or sit out games without pay.

How could this affect others with chronic Lyme disease?

Doctors have only recently made the comorbidity correlation between chronic Lyme and COVID-19. Delle Donne’s medical exemption denial is proof that not all doctors are onboard with the comorbidity stance. It also could reflect a greater issue that could ripple down to other professions. Consider teachers and school staff, who might soon be expected to return to school. If chronic Lyme disease is not recognized as a co-morbid COVID-19 condition, we could see educators, administrators, school nurses, and bus drivers be denied medical exemptions. Would anyone like to face a decision of giving up their livelihood to potentially save their life?

chronic Lyme disease

Prevention is key for COVID-19 and Lyme disease.

The CDC has guidelines to help prevent contracting COVID-19 and Lyme disease. Of course, we have all become very familiar with coronavirus prevention methods. The three W’s: WEAR your mask, WASH your hands, WATCH your distance. As for the prevention of Lyme, there are essential practices, which can help keep you safe. When you are enjoying the outdoors, wear long sleeves and pants to protect your skin. Consider protecting yourself and your family with tick repellent spray and clothing. When you return from outdoors, check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks.

wear mask covid-19

At-home Central Mass tick protection.

Protecting your home and family from the threat of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses means treating your yard with barrier tick protection. Reputable tick control companies will treat all the areas around your home with an EPA-registered solution that will eliminate up to 95% of ticks in your yard. These solutions will knock down ticks on contact and continue working with a time-released formula for a couple of weeks at a time. Regular sprays throughout spring, summer, and fall will keep your family safe. Tick tubes in the fall and winter will do even more to control the tick population around your home by thwarting the tick life cycle. Since we do not have a Lyme disease vaccine, prevention is our best hope.

Lyme Disease and COVID-19 Comorbidity

The COVID-19 crisis has been especially difficult for high-risk people. Should Lyme disease sufferers worry about COVID-19 comorbidity?

Doctors are saying that there could be COVID-19 comorbidity risks for individuals with Lyme disease. Specifically, chronic Lyme sufferers. Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome patients suffer from fatigue, pain, and other symptoms that could render their immune systems weaker. This is especially true for Lyme patients that are treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Early Lyme disease diagnosed patients might not be at a higher risk, as they are treated with antibiotics that do not produce side effects that make patients more susceptible to COVID-19.

Lyme disease and COVID-19 comorbidity

What is the rate of COVID-19 comorbidity infection?

Recently the CDC stated that with the 2,470,000 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States, we can expect the actual number of infections to be ten times higher. This means that 24,7000,000 cases of the disease could be present in the U.S. alone. Each year, there are roughly 30,000 cases of Lyme disease reported to the CDC. They also estimate that those cases are likely ten times higher than the number reported. This is because many with Lyme disease are mis-diagnosed, un-diagnosed, or remain asymptomatic for a long time. During the pandemic, we have learned that many COVID-19 carriers are asymptomatic.

COVID-19 comorbidity

A study in China found that approximately 25% of their COVID-19 patients had comorbidity. In the United States, a study was performed on March 28, which showed 37% of COVID-19 sufferers had comorbidity. 71% of hospitalizations and 78% of ICU patients had comorbidity.

What does this mean for chronic Lyme disease patients?

While chronic Lyme disease sufferers should consider themselves at higher risk for infection, and for hospitalization if infected, we should all be wary. Even though studies showed 78% of ICU patients had underlying health conditions, 22% of ICU patients did not have underlying conditions. We must all practice recommended social distancing. If you feel you are at too great a risk for infection, and can stay at home, it is best to do that. When we do go out into our communities, face coverings should be worn. Protect yourself. Protect others.

COVID-19 and Lyme disease comorbidity

Central Mass Lyme disease prevention with tick control is essential.

Central Mass tick control Even before the coronavirus health crisis arrived, informed Central Mass residents understood the threat of Lyme disease. With exploding tick populations, we see higher infection rates each year. During the health crisis, we must be vigilant in our efforts to prevent our infection and the infection of others while in public places. At home, we must be vigilant about effective Central Mass tick control. Enlisting the aid of a reputable tick control company is essential in the fight against Lyme disease. Protect your home and family with regular tick control barrier sprays all spring, summer, and fall. In the late fall, employ the use of tick tubes to continue your tick control efforts through the winter. While we are hopeful that the coronavirus crisis will lessen over time, and result in a vaccine, there is no vaccine against Lyme disease to-date. Tick control is our only way to prevent it.

Anaplasmosis in Dogs

The deer tick is one of the two most common ticks in Central Massachusetts. This tick is not only a spreader of Lyme disease, but also anaplasmosis.

We love to get out of doors with man’s best friend this time of year in Central Mass. Hiking, neighborhood walks, and playing in our backyards with our pets brings much joy, but it can also be dangerous if our best friends are not properly protected from ticks. One of the more common tick-borne diseases for dogs in Central Mass is anaplasmosis. What is anaplasmosis? How is it treated?

anaplasmosis in dogs

Anaplasmosis in Dogs: Signs of Infection

If your pet has experienced an anaplasmosis-infected tick bite from a deer tick, he might begin to show symptoms within one week. Though, some dogs never show symptoms at all. Common symptoms are loss of appetite, lethargy, and joint pain – very similar symptoms to Lyme disease. Less common signs of anaplasmosis might be nausea and labored breathing. There are a few clinical tests available, which can diagnose the disease, and your veterinarian will recommend the testing method that is best for your pet if anaplasmosis is suspected.

anaplasmosis in cats

Cats can contract anaplasmosis, too. Though, it is less common in cats than dogs. If your cat is infected, it will show similar symptoms to the ones mentioned above.

Your Dog Can Have Anaplasmosis and Lyme Disease at the Same Time

It is not uncommon for dogs to become infected with Lyme disease and anaplasmosis at once, because both diseases are spread by infected deer ticks. If diagnostics show co-infection, your dog will be treated more aggressively than with single-infection. The good news is, treatment is very successful, requiring only doxycycline. The length of treatment will depend on whether your dog is suffering from only anaplasmosis, or both diseases. Typical treatment is two to four weeks, and symptoms can become greatly reduced in less than two days. It is essential that you continue to administer doxycycline for the full recommended course, even when symptoms have diminished.

Prevention is Essential for Your Pet: Choose Professional Tick Control Methods

tick control Andover MA The best methods of tick-borne disease prevention for your pets are tick control barrier sprays for your yard, daily tick checks, and oral flea and tick preventatives. Though anaplasmosis is often easily treated, an ounce of prevention offers much better assurance for the health and well-being of our pets. Effective Central Mass tick control is achieved through regular barrier treatments of your yard, every couple of weeks, in the spring, summer, and fall. Tick tubes “out of season” will help greatly reduce the tick population around your home when springtime comes back around.

Also read: Can ticks cause anemia in dogs?

Lyme Disease: Men vs. Women

The CDC suggests that more men are diagnosed with Lyme disease than women. Do more men actually contract Lyme disease?

This statement is not a clear-cut answer as to whether more men contract Lyme than women. Studies suggest that gender bias could be a factor in Lyme diagnoses, and because of this bias, more women are reported to have chronic Lyme disease.

gender bias in lyme testing

Lyme testing gender bias is easily explained.

The CDC western blot test requires reaction of five out of 10 bands to be present for a positive Lyme diagnosis. Men generally have six of 10 bands react, while women present with four, leading to a negative Lyme test. Studies suggest that due to this bias in testing, more women end up with chronic Lyme disease simply because of non-diagnosis. These patients are also commonly misdiagnosed with conditions that have similar symptoms to Lyme, such as chronic fatigue or Fibromyalgia.

Lyme disease testing gender bias

Also read: Lyme Symptoms That Might Surprise You

While the CDC Lyme disease surveillance reports more men with Lyme disease than women, another reporting agency, FAIR Health, says that more women file health insurance claims in treating the disease. Between the ages of 23 and 50, twice as many Lyme disease insurance claims were file by women than men. This is a truly odd phenomena – more men test positive, but more women are actually treated for the disease. Should Lyme disease testing for females meet different criteria than males? Early treatment is essential. If women are showing negative Lyme disease tests, but actually do have the disease, it can become a lifelong battle with chronic illness – and a lifelong battle in finding appropriate treatment.

Also read: 83% of enrolled persistent Lyme sufferers at MyLymeData are female.

Additional studies show that women and men react differently to medications. Women are more likely to have adverse effects to medication than men, suggesting that perhaps medication should be formulated differently by gender. Would this be an answer for more effective treatment of Lyme disease in women?

Tick protection is key in preventing Lyme.

No matter if you are male or female, prevention is key, and can be aided with personal tick protection when you are out of doors. In addition to personal protection, at-home tick control can help prevent unfortunate tick encounters in your own yard. With the prevalence of ticks in Central Mass, professional tick control is essential, and is most effectively employed all year long – not just in the spring and summer. In the warm weather seasons, your yard can be treated with a tick barrier spray that will eliminate ticks on contact, and continue killing them for up to three weeks. When the temperature falls below 45°F, tick tubes can be placed in your yard, which will aid in halting the tick life cycle, resulting in less ticks when springtime rolls around.

Are ticks getting smaller?

The emergence of nymph ticks this spring, has folks asking, “Are ticks getting smaller?”

Ahhhh, springtime! There is so much to love about spring in Central Mass. In a typical year, this would be the time that families gather for graduation parties in their backyards. Evening get-togethers and grilling season would be in full force. Neighborhood invitations would be going out weekly for backyard parties. Even though we are not mixing and mingling at neighborhood parties just yet, you might still have noticed tick season is upon us just by spending time in your own backyard. If you are a hiker, perhaps you have encountered Central Mass ticks during your nature treks. Have you noticed these super-tiny blood suckers? What’s the deal with these small ticks?

are ticks getting smaller

Ticks are not getting smaller.

are fleas and ticks the same size The small ticks you are seeing are nymph ticks. Nymph ticks are in their third stage of life (egg, larva, nymph, adult), and they are tiny. If you have only encountered adult ticks, a nymph tick might fool you into thinking it’s no tick at all. You might have even wondered if it’s a flea. Nymph ticks are not only small, they can be very dangerous. Measuring about 2mm (poppy seed-sized), they are difficult to spot. A flea measures 1.5 to 3.3mm.

engorged tick Because nymph ticks are difficult to see, they can slip by us until they have already attached themselves to take a blood meal, and become engorged. Due to the fact that tick populations are on the rise, you might just now be noticing these tiny ticks – because there are so many. Another reason you might just now be noticing these small ticks is because you are spending more time outdoors for recreation, because so many recreational and dining establishments are either closed, or not open in a full capacity.

What you most need to know about nymph ticks, is that they are the biggest carrier of Lyme disease. Most nymphs have taken their last blood meal from a woodland animal – perhaps a squirrel or more commonly, the white-footed mouse. Because these animals are often carriers of the bacteria that cause Lyme, this makes nymph ticks extremely dangerous.

Protect your yard with Central Mass tick control.

If you are seeing ticks on your kids or your pets in Central Mass, now is the time to tackle your tick problem. Tiny nymph ticks are rampant, looking for their next victim. Don’t let it be you, your kids, or your pets. Entrust all the areas around your home to a professional tick control company. Central Mass tick control professionals offer EPA-registered tick control solutions. They will apply a barrier tick spray around your yard to eliminate ticks on contact, and the spray will continue working for a couple of weeks with a micro-encapsulated, time-released formula. Reputable tick control professionals also offer all-natural solutions, which act as tick repellents, rather than eliminators. Though effective in keeping up to 85% of ticks away, the must be sprayed more often than an EPA-registered insecticide. Whichever works for you, now is the time to protect your yard.

2020 Tick Forecast: Will we see more ticks this year?

We are not quite half-way through 2020, and while the story of the year is still being written, one thing is for sure. There will be more ticks this year.

The 2020 tick forecast is whether it’s cloudy or sunny, there will be a great chance for ticks. For quite a few years now, the United States has seen increases in tick populations everywhere. Not only are populations exploding, but ticks are expanding to areas, where they have not been before.

Ticks are no longer seasonal pests.

“Tick season is pretty much every season,” says tick expert, Dr. Thomas Mathers. Ticks are more active in the springtime, summertime, and fall. However, ticks can be, and are on the move in the winter too. This is due in large part to warm weather trends resulting from climate change. What’s more, ticks thrive in wet weather, so rainier seasons will mean more ticks.

More ticks in 2020 means more tick-borne illnesses.

If Central Mass ticks were just a nuisance insect, the news of more ticks in 2020 wouldn’t mean that much. As most Central Massachusetts residents are aware, ticks are not just pests. They are very dangerous, and can even be deadly. With predictions for warmer, wetter weather in 2020, in almost all U.S. regions, we can expect to see Lyme disease on the rise. Other diseases, which were very rare, or never seen before, are also rearing their ugly heads. In recent years, we have become very aware of Powassan virus in Massachusetts, as well as other areas in the United States. The CDC reports only six cases in the United States in 2006. While in 2017 and 2018, there were 33 and 21 cases, respectively.

Central Mass ticks: deer tick — Central Mass ticks are not just pests

More ticks in 2020 means more tick control.

tick control Massachusetts To protect your home and family from ticks and the nasty diseases they carry, Central Mass tick control is a must. Professional tick control companies will offer solutions for eliminating up to 95% of ticks from your yard. With a professionally-applied tick barrier spray, you can enjoy the spaces outside your home more fully. Regular tick control sprays should be applied every few weeks for optimum protection against bites from infected ticks. EPA-registered sprays will eliminate ticks on contact, and continue working for about three weeks.

tick tubes Woburn MA In the and winter, you can extend your tick control efforts with tick tubes, which will ensure that tick populations in your yard are easier to control next year. Tick tubes break the tick life cycle by eliminating ticks where they nest during cool weather, disallowing future reproduction.

With the health crisis we are seeing in 2020, the last thing we need is Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses. Protect your home. Protect your family. Protect your pets. Hire a reputable tick control company for year-long tick protection at home.

If you are leaving home for the great outdoors, make a tick kit!

Do ticks carry COVID-19?

Amidst a global pandemic, and relating to ticks’ ability to spread diseases, many are asking, “Do ticks carry COVID-19?”

As a matter of fact, a lot of people are wondering if mosquitoes carry COVID-19, as well. The good news is, NO, ticks and mosquitoes are not known vectors of COVID-19. There is no evidence to support the spread of the coronavirus through ticks or mosquitoes, even though they do spread other types of viruses, such as bourbon, Babesiosis, dengue, Malaria, and West Nile. According to the CDC, COVID-19 is predominantly spread by human-to-human contact. There are slighter chances of infection resulting from contaminated surfaces, animal-to-human, and human-to-animal contact.

do ticks carry covid 19

Central Mass ticks do not carry COVID-19, but they are responsible for spreading dangerous and potentially deadly diseases.

So, ticks are off the hook for spreading coronavirus, but they are still dangerous little blood-suckers. You probably hear more about Lyme disease than other tick-borne illnesses. Even though Lyme disease can become a lifelong battle, Central Mass ticks can spread even worse diseases. The Powassan virus is not only dangerous, it is potentially deadly, with a 10% death rate for all infections!

ticks carry bourbon virus

Tick-borne diseases are not just passed to humans.

Not only can tick-borne illnesses infect humans, livestock, wildlife, and pets are also susceptible to tick-inflicted maladies. Dogs can get Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis, and Hepatozoonosis. What’s more, our beloved family pets are apt to contract tick paralysis, a temporary, but horrifying result of neurotoxins in some tick bites. Wildlife and livestock have been notably killed by armies of the Asian longhorned tick, which bleed them to the point of no return.

Central Mass tick control will protect your home and family, including your beloved animals.

Even in the throes of a worldwide pandemic, we must remember that more time spent at home will result in more time spent outside our homes as the weather continues to warm up. Central Mass residents must reach out to their local tick control experts for essential barrier tick sprays from springtime through fall. EPA-registered tick sprays will alleviate your tick problem for up to three weeks’ time with a time-released formula. To keep ticks under control all year long, they must employ the use of tick tubes. It’s been a tough start to spring this year. Here’s to safer, happier times as we move through springtime and into summer!

Central Mass Ticks: American Dog Tick vs. Deer Tick

Central Mass ticks have one thing in common. They want to feed on your blood.

What do ticks look like? The main goal of all female ticks is to get their next blood meal, grow to adulthood, and reproduce. It’s their driving force. Both the American dog tick and deer tick are common in Central Mass. We know how they are the same. How do they differ?

Central Mass tick: deer tick

Also known as the black-legged tick, this Central Mass tick is the main spreader of Lyme disease. Most Lyme cases result from the bite of a female nymph deer tick. It takes 36 to 48 hours for a deer tick to transmit Lyme disease. Nymph ticks are so small that they are often missed until they become engorged with blood. The biggest threat for a bite from a deer tick in Central Mass is springtime, summer, and fall. Though, ticks live in winter in Central Mass. According to the CDC, adult deer ticks could be out questing for their blood meal in temperatures above freezing. Deer ticks in Central Mass might also transmit Anaplasmosis, Powassan virus, and Babesiosis.

Central Mass ticks: deer tick

Central Mass tick: American dog tick

Another nasty tick common to Central Mass is the American dog tick, also known as the wood tick. This tick is not only common in our area, but is prevalent east of the Rocky Mountains. According to the CDC, the dog tick has limited populations on the Pacific coast. Adult females are the most likely to deliver a bite to their host, and they are responsible for some serious tick-borne illnesses. The American dog tick is the most common vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Tularemia. Dog tick bites tend to be mostly in the spring and summer.

Central Mass ticks: American dog tick

Now is the time for Central Mass tick control.

tick control Massachusetts Warm weather has arrived. We are spending more time outdoors. Central Mass ticks are on the prowl. They are hanging on low-lying vegetation in your backyards and your favorite outdoor areas, like playgrounds, hiking trails, and even the beach. You can help prevent tick-borne illnesses, like the ones above, by hiring a reputable Central Mass tick control company to spray all the areas around your home. Barrier tick sprays are available to keep your family safe at home, and should be professionally applied to your yard about ever three weeks throughout “tick season,” springtime, all the way through autumn. Don’t wait until you find a tick on yourself, a family member, or the family pet. An ounce of prevention is worth all the cure in the world! And let’s not forget, some tick diseases, like Lyme disease, cannot be cured.