Tick-Bite ER Visits Rise to Decade High
- ER visits for tick bites have hit their highest level in almost a decade, raising health concerns in Georgia. - Nationwide rate is 71 ER visits per 100,000 trips, with Georgia health officials advising vigilance. - Doctors recommend prevention, early removal, and awareness to curb Lyme and other tick-borne diseases (patch.com).
Emergency room visits for tick bites have climbed to their highest level in nearly a decade, with the national rate reaching 71 visits per 100,000 ER trips. (cdc.gov) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks those visits through its Tick Bite Data Tracker, which uses emergency department data by week, month, region, age, and sex. Patch reported the spike is drawing attention in Georgia as warm-weather tick activity picks up. (cdc.gov) (patch.com) Georgia’s Department of Public Health said tick-borne illnesses are most often transmitted from early spring through late fall, though cases are reported year-round in the state. The agency lists spotted fever rickettsiosis, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis among the diseases reported in Georgia. (dph.georgia.gov) Georgia reported 130 Lyme disease cases, 50 anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis cases, and 143 spotted fever rickettsiosis cases over 2020-2024 in residents reported to the state surveillance system. Those totals are lower than in Northeastern hot spots, but state health officials are also watching for babesiosis, Alpha-gal syndrome, Powassan virus, Heartland virus, and Bourbon virus. (dph.georgia.gov) Nationally, Lyme disease remains the best-known tick-borne illness: state health departments and the District of Columbia reported more than 89,000 cases to the CDC in 2023. The CDC says alternative estimates suggest about 476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year in the United States. (cdc.gov) Another tick-borne disease, ehrlichiosis, is more closely associated with the South and Midwest. The CDC’s latest data page says reported Ehrlichia chaffeensis ehrlichiosis cases extend through 2023 and show clear seasonal patterns. (cdc.gov) Public health guidance has not changed: the CDC says reducing exposure is the best defense, and Georgia says most tick bites do not lead to infection if attached ticks are removed properly and quickly. Ticks are commonly found in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, and the CDC says many people pick them up in their own yards or neighborhoods. (cdc.gov) (dph.georgia.gov) If a tick is attached, the CDC says to remove it as soon as possible with clean, fine-tipped tweezers, pulling upward with steady, even pressure. The agency says not to use petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish, or other substances to make the tick detach. (cdc.gov) After removal, the CDC says to clean the bite area and hands, check for other ticks, and watch for rash or fever in the following days or weeks. Georgia health officials say people who develop fever, rash, fatigue, muscle aches, or other flu-like symptoms after a tick bite should seek medical attention promptly. (cdc.gov) (dph.georgia.gov)
