As more people head outdoors for recreation, ticks will also increase. Ticks are active all year round, but the warmer months mean “tick season” and require increased vigilance.
“B“Other residents and visitors are exposed to ticks and tick-borne diseases through work, play, outdoor recreation, travel, pets, horses, and others,” the Chaffee County Public Health Department said in an April 25 press release. Livestock are also at risk of infection.” In addition to tick-borne diseases, humans may also be at greater risk. ”
Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections and diseases continue to spread across the country. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency uses Lyme disease incidence as a monitor of climate change, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently estimates that more than 500,000 infections occur annually across the United States.
Many people may think they're safe from ticks and Lyme disease in Colorado, but the risk is increasing, said Monica White, co-founder and president of the Colorado Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Association. said. She worked for the U.S. Forest Service during college. Later, when she reached out to her colleagues at the USFS and the Bureau of Land Management, she said, “People who have been working in the field for 20, 30 years have not been encountering ticks until the last five or 10 years.'' “I started hearing things that I had never done before,” she said. “Unfortunately, Colorado doesn’t have a lot of baselines.
“It's kind of a vicious cycle because it's generally considered a low-risk condition for tick-borne diseases,” she says. “Because we're considered a low-risk state, we don't have active surveillance, and that just perpetuates it. Without surveillance, we can just keep saying, 'Oh, no problem.' can.”
Of the 20 tick-borne illnesses that occur nationwide, only seven are tracked in Colorado. Many tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are not “reported” to humans at the state level, and community transmission rates and risks of many other tick-borne diseases remain unknown.
“If you get babesiosis or anaplasmosis, it's not a reportable disease in our state,” White said.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council reported that cases of Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis in Colorado dogs have been on the rise since 2012.
“We actually have better surveillance data on dogs than on humans,” White says. “If the data doesn't exist, it's very difficult to get people to take this issue seriously.”
It can also be difficult to quickly identify and diagnose endemic cases.
“In the eastern states, if you see an obvious bull's eye rash, it's enough to diagnose Lyme disease and get it reported,” she says. “Even in a low-incidence state like Colorado, symptoms like bull's eye rash are not enough to be reported as a confirmed case.”
White said the long-standing resistance to this oversight is due in part to the controversy surrounding TBD and the current status quo: “You can't get Lyme disease in Colorado.”
“We have other ticks in the same genus (as the black-footed tick) in Colorado,” she said, “and they are two other very competent ticks that transmit the Borrelia bacteria that can cause Lyme disease.” Ta.
Colorado is home to nearly 30 species of ticks, including endemic tick populations. Ixodes Species known to transmit Borrelia. White said that although they are not well known as human bites, there is evidence that they can still transmit infectious diseases to humans.
Colorado also has “soft-bodied” ticks that behave differently than hard-bodied ticks. White said this is common in “rural accommodations” where rodents can be infested.
“Soft-bodied mites can survive in buildings for up to 20 years, even if the host is removed,” White said. “They feed for a very short time and then rush back to their nest.”
In addition to Lyme disease, ticks can transmit many other germs (bacteria, viruses, and protozoa) that can cause many serious and even fatal illnesses. Diseases such as Colorado tick fever, spotted fever rickettsiosis (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever), tularemia, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and tick-borne relapsing fever can be transmitted across the country and around the world.
Ticks can also transmit substances that can cause tick paralysis and alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy). A single tick bite can cause multiple simultaneous infections. A 2018 CDC study found that the number of tick-borne disease cases in the United States more than doubled in 13 years, accounting for 77% of all vector-borne disease reports. Lyme disease accounted for 82% of these reports.
Prevention is key. White recommends treating clothing and outdoor gear with permethrin. Permethrin is a long-lasting repellent that is toxic to ticks but safe for humans and dogs. Do not apply to skin.
“Here in Colorado, we have a lot of exposure to climate change, warming temperatures, and migration of birds, people, dogs, and wildlife,” she says. “This problem is growing nationally, and Colorado is not immune.”
They also recommend wearing long pants tucked into socks or gaiters.
“They usually attach to the lower part of your body as you walk and then crawl up,” White said. “So if you protect your lower body, you're more likely to spot something crawling on your body before it finds your skin.”
Other repellent options include products containing DEET or lemon eucalyptus oil. Research into more natural options is also underway.
White also advises recreationists to stay close to the center of the trail, place barriers on the ground before sitting down, and be aware of the environment and surroundings.
“Make sure you know the habitat you’re going to,” she said. “If you're in an area with humid microhabitats, the mites will be attracted to them.”
White said check your pets and children for ticks, even in your backyard.
“I believe checking for ticks is your best and last line of defense, because if you can remove them from clothing before skin contact, or if you remove them as soon as possible, the disease is less likely to be transmitted. “They're less likely to do it,” she said. “It's not foolproof, but it reduces the risk.”
Outdoor workers, recreationists, travelers, and people who come into close contact with livestock and wildlife are at higher risk. Children are also at increased risk, and symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases manifest differently and may present solely as neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Diagnosis of tick-borne diseases is often difficult. Almost 50 percent of people who develop Lyme disease do not remember being bitten by a tick. For children, it is less than 20%. If bull's eye rash appears and is recognized on darker skin tones, it can further delay diagnosis and treatment in people with brown or black skin.
Other symptoms of the tick-borne disease are similar to the flu in its early stages, including fever, severe headache and stiff neck, fatigue, muscle/joint pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and a rash (spots) with various symptoms. , striped pattern), and swollen lymph nodes. nodes and other symptoms. This can make diagnosis difficult, especially if there is no history of tick bites.
COTBDAA and CCPH have partnered on a month-long awareness campaign.The month begins on May 6th with Moonlight Monday, and donations will be made to COTBDAA and
Awareness campaign in Chaffee County. Prevention education resources will be available at Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub tables from 5 to 7 p.m.
On May 8, CCPH and COTBDAA will host a community dialogue and screening of “The Quiet Epidemic,” a documentary about the impact of Lyme disease nationwide. The screening is part of the CCPH Age Strong Film Club, which will be held at the Stardust Theater from 2:00pm to 4:30pm, and White and CCPH director Andrea Carlstrom will be answering questions.
