Here’s how the Ga., S.C. tick season is shaping up

AUGUSTA, Ga. - As national experts raise awareness over a rise in diseases spread by ticks, experts in Georgia say this year isn’t any worse than it ever is for the Peach State.

Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show emergency hospital visits for tick bites are at their highest this year in July. The peak for hospital visits is typically in May.

The CDC also reported a 25% jump in tickborne disease cases in the U.S. from 2011 to 2019.

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“This is a typical tick year,” said Nancy Hinkle, professor of veterinary entomology at the University of Georgia.

Tick population correlates with the deer population and can dramatically vary within a short radius.

“If you’re out in a park, perhaps there might be a huge population of ticks. You might go next door a quarter mile and there are no ticks present,” said Hinkle.

University of Georgia extension specialist Elmer Gray said the tick population can grow quickly.

“If a female tick goes into the leaf litter on the edge of your yard, lays her batch of eggs, now you’ve got 2000 ticks on the edge of your yard,” said Gray.

The most common disease transmitted to humans, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, brings flu-like symptoms and only averages 40 to 50 cases a year in Georgia.

However, a tick bite can be deadly for pets.

“There are pathogens transmitted by ticks that can kill dogs in the Southeast U.S.,” said Hinkle.

Concerns in South Carolina

In South Carolina, invasive Asian longhorned ticks have been raising alarm in the past couple of years.

Bites from these ticks have caused severe illnesses in people, animals and livestock in other countries.

Asian longhorned ticks were first identified in the United States in 2010 and have since been found in 17 states. In South Carolina, a small number of these ticks were identified in 2020 on shelter dogs in Lancaster and Pickens counties.

Unlike other ticks, a single female Asian longhorned tick can produce 1,000 to 2,000 eggs at a time without mating. This means a single animal could host hundreds or thousands of ticks.

Asian longhorned ticks are light brown in color and tiny. Because of their small size and quick movement, they are difficult to detect. These ticks can feed on any animal but are most commonly found on livestock, dogs and humans.

What you can do

Experts recommend:

• Check pets for ticks after spending time outdoors.
• Treat clothing with permethrin.
• Focus on covering the lower half of your body, tucking your shirt into pants and pants into socks.
• Conduct a body check on yourself after spending time outdoors.

If a person finds a tick on them, experts recommend the following:

• Don’t panic. In most cases, a tick must be attached for 24 to 48 hours before it can distribute a disease..
• Remove the tick by the head using tweezers.
• Take a picture of the tick and submit it to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
• Dispose of it by flushing it down the toilet.
• See a doctor if you feel sick.

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