We’ve got bad news, New Yorkers: not only is this summer bringing more heat and rain than usual to NYC, it’s also bringing the bugs. Billions of buzzing cicadas are getting ready to emerge from the ground, spotted lanternflies have already returned and will be worse than last year, and now experts are warning of a tremendous tick explosion. All of that is to say if at any point you need us this summer we’ll be taking shelter in our five-story walk ups…
Dr. Saravanan Thangamani, professor of microbiology and director of the SUNY Center for Vector-Borne Diseases, has seen a noticeable increase in disease-positive ticks sent in by residents. And if these Lyme-disease-carrying ticks weren’t an issue enough, these ticks have also been found to be carrying babesiosis–a rare malaria-like disease that can be asymptomatic but deadly. Thangamani stated:
If I could compare the 2024 year with this year with the exact same time frame…I can clearly see there is a steep increase…in the number of ticks humans are encountering is increasing. In addition to that, the number of ticks that carry the pathogens is also increasing…it is clear that Babesia-positive and Anaplasma-positive ticks are also emerging in addition to Lyme disease-positive ticks.
Of the 442 ticks submitted to the lab between March 15th and May 6th, 34.8% carried Borrelia burgdorferi (which causes Lyme disease), 11% carried Babesia microti (which causes babesiosis), and 18% carried Anaplasma phagocytophilum (which causes anaplasmosis).
According to the CDC, babesiosis is a disease caused by a parasite that infects the red blood cells. It spreads through tick bites, primarily by blacklegged (deer) ticks, and can cause either no symptoms or flu-like symptoms. And while babesiosis is preventable and treatable, if untreated the parasite can lead to organ failure and potentially death.
Thangamani says a single tick bite can transmit multiple disease-causing agents, and also warned that this tick season will be worse than previous years, so it’s important for New Yorkers to be hypervigilant when outdoors. To make matters worse, there are no vaccines against tick-borne diseases.
But there’s no need to fully panic yet. Since 2015, the New York State Department of Health has reported an average of 600 babesiosis infections and an average of 1,300 anaplasmosis infections each year, so it’s not like it’s happening every day over here. However, our friends over in DC are unfortunately dealing with the babesia parasite rapidly expanding in the DMV area, coinciding with changing weather patterns.
Either way, it’s important to always follow best-practices for avoiding ticks.
How to avoid ticks in New York
So, how can you stay safe from ticks? Check out our guide on all things tick-related, including what types are found in NYC, where ticks are typically found in NYC, how to prevent bites, and more.