Dealing with pesky mosquitoes and ticks are the price we have to pay for living in the Brainerd Lakes Area, but as summer is drawing to a close and mosquitoes are ceasing to be buzzing nuisances, ticks are still out there.
Deer ticks, specifically the black-legged tick, are the known transmitters of many serious diseases that are currently on the rise in Cass and Crow Wing counties. These ticks are known to carry three diseases including Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis (HA), formerly known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), and babesiosis.
These three diseases, though somewhat difficult to pronounce, are becoming easier to diagnose as more doctors and laypeople are becoming informed about them.
Babesiosis is emerging as a disease to keep an eye out for, but since there were only 18 diagnosed cases last year, people should keep on the lookout for Lyme disease and HA, which are much more prevalent.
Lyme disease was a recognized disease in Minnesota in 1985, before HA or babesiosis and still remains the number one tick-borne disease to affect the population. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) there were 914 cases of Lyme disease last year.
Most people know the symptoms of Lyme disease. The famous red bull's-eye rash, fever, chills, headache and fatigue are commonly known symptoms.
Many people think that if they don't have the red bull's-eye rash, then what they have can't be Lyme disease, while in fact, according to the (MDH), only 70 to 80 percent of infected people have the bull's-eye rash
The tick that infects a person with Lyme has to be attached to the person for at least 24-48 hours. That is why in the spring, when ticks are in their nymph stage and they are almost impossible to see, a person is more likely to contract a tick-borne disease.
The number of diagnosed cases of Lyme disease is increasing sharply. In 2000 there were 465 reported cases of Lyme disease in Minnesota, and in 2006 there were 914.
Another tick-borne disease that is on the rise is human anaplasmosis (HA). As shown in the graph, the number of reported cases of HA has significantly increased since 1995. In 1995 there were a handful of cases and in 2006 there were 176 reported cases of HA in Minnesota.
According to Melissa Kemperman, an epidemiologist who works with mosquito and tick-borne diseases at the Minnesota Department of Health, there are many reasons for the continued increase in the number of cases of HA.
"In the past few years deer tick populations have expanded into new places - in counties where there haven't been before. Multiple factors for the increased number of cases also include: more infected ticks, more people get outdoors, change in population, change in behavior, and increased medical education," Kemperman said.
A deer tick only has to be attached 12-24 hours for a person to become infected with HA so many people aren't even aware that they have been bit by a tick. People infected with HA have to be very careful because the symptoms they experience are much like the flu.
The MDH list symptoms of HA as high fever, severe headache, muscle aches and chills. In many cases there is no red rash to indicate a tick bite.
Cass County Conservation Officer Nikki Shoutz, who is used to having 3 to 5 ticks on her in one day, was diagnosed with HA on July 30 of this year. Shoutz went to the emergency room with high fever, chills and sweating.
"I was hot and cold, hot and cold. It was awful - way worse than the flu," Shoutz said.
HA, like Lyme disease, is treatable; it is very important to go to the doctor as soon as you start experiencing symptoms. HA, if untreated, can be fatal.
Even though tick-borne diseases are contracted mostly in the spring, due to the small size of the nymph tick, there is also an increased risk in the fall. Once the weather cools down the ticks come back out, many nature hikers and hunters are once again at risk for contracting tick-borne diseases.
Kemperman has some suggestions for those wanting to venture out into nature, but protect themselves from tick bites. "They should just know where they are at risk, and when they are out in the woods or in brushy areas that is where they should be thinking about ticks. They should wear light colored clothing because you can see the ticks. Wear bug repellent DEET up to 30 percent or permethrin. And they should check themselves over very, very well after they come in," Kemperman said.
