As peak exposure season rolls in, doctors are cautioning residents to be aware of the risk of tick-borne illness as they make their way outdoors for the summer.
The number of Emergency Department visits in Franklin County declined between 2019 and 2020, with 48 visits and 37 visits respectively, according to the state Department of Public Health (DPH). As of May 2021, there have been 12 visits for tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease or anaplasmosis.
”If you’re looking for the most common tick-borne illness, that’s obviously Lyme disease, and that can start with a red, ring-like rash,” said Dr. Rakesh “Kishi” Talati, director of the Emergency Department at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. “A bulls-eye rash is the typical symptom; you can get flu-like systems — malaise, fever … maybe some joint aches.”
Although tick activity and tick-borne illness occur year-round in Massachusetts, the majority of tick-borne disease occurs in June through August, according to the DPH.
Dr. Jennifer Schimmel, who specializes in infectious disease at Baystate Health, said she tends to only see a snapshot of the population that comes into the hospital system for tick-borne illness.
“I know we’re definitely seeing some — both Lyme and anaplasma,” she said.
Anaplasmosis has similar symptoms to Lyme disease, but doesn’t have the characteristic bulls-eye rash of Lyme disease. It is characterized by fevers, body aches and a headache.
“A key feature of that is some blood count abnormalities — that requires a little more evaluation by a provider,” she said.
Both Talati and Schimmel said the biggest factor in determining the risk of infection is if a tick has been on the skin for 36 or more hours and is engorged (a blood meal).
“If you do daily tick checks, you’ll know you haven’t had a tick on you for more than 24 hours,” Talati said. “If it’s less than 24 hours … the risk of getting Lyme disease is so much lower.”
For reducing the risk of exposure, Schimmel suggested wearing long pants in grassy, wooded areas, light colors so the tick is more visible if it does get on an individual’s clothes, and applying bug repellent.
“If you do find the tick, remove it promptly before it gets engorged,” she said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend treating dogs and cats for ticks as recommended by a veterinarian, and showering soon after being outdoors.
For tick removal, the CDC advises using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. The key, it states, is to remove the tick as soon as possible.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne